- Title: Panama says will demand visas from Venezuelans
- Date: 23rd August 2017
- Summary: CARACAS, VENEZUELA (AUGUST 23, 2017) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF VENEZUELANS TALKING TO PANAMA'S AMBASSADOR TO VENEZUELA MIGUEL MEJIA OUTSIDE PANAMANIAN CONSULATE WOMAN TALKING MEJIA TALKING TO VENEZUELANS (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) CRUZ GONZALEZ, VENEZUELAN HOUSE WIFE, SAYING: "That's a problem, a problem for people like me who want to visit their son and not because I want to stay there. I have no plans to stay there." VARIOUS OF VENEZUELANS OUTSIDE PANAMANIAN CONSULATE (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) JENNIFER TERAN, VENEZUELAN STUDENT, SAYING: "I think it was sudden and it hurts the other Venezuelans who want to leave and start businesses. Many Venezuelans who are now in Panama have behaved badly and that hurts other Venezuelans who want to enter there to do business or anything else that is new to improve their future." PEOPLE OUTSIDE CONSULATE LITTLE BOY HOLDING HIS FATHER'S HAND GONZALEZ TALKING TO YOUNG WOMEN EXTERIOR OF BUILDING HOUSING PANAMANIAN CONSULATE
- Embargoed: 6th September 2017 17:35
- Keywords: Panama visas Venezuela asylum
- Location: CARACAS, VENEZUELA AND INTERNET
- City: CARACAS, VENEZUELA AND INTERNET
- Country: Venezuela
- Topics: Asylum/Immigration/Refugees,Government/Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA0016VDPMPZ
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: EDITORS PLEASE NOTE: AUDIO AS INCOMING
Panamanian ambassador Miguel Mejia addressed Venezuelans gathered outside his country's embassy in Caracas on Wednesday (August 23) concerned about the Central American government's decision to require Venezuelans travelling there to obtain visas.
Venezuelans hoping to travel, study and visit relatives there expressed concern that the measure could impact their plans.
On Tuesday, Panama's President Juan Carlos Varela said the visa requirement would take effect on October 1 and remain in place until "democratic order" was restored in Venezuela. The announcement was made just a few days after U.S. Vice President Mike Pence visited Panama.
Large numbers of Venezuelans have left their country due to economic and political turmoil. According to Varela, some 60,000 Venezuelans have moved to Panama in the last six years. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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