Venezuela blocks plane with ex-presidents of Latin America
Kyiv • UNN
Venezuela did not allow a plane with former presidents who planned to observe the election to depart from Panama. The US warned Maduro against interfering in the election process.
A plane carrying a number of former Latin American presidents hoping to observe this weekend's expected elections in Venezuela was not allowed to take off from Tocumen airport in Panama, President Jose Raul Mulino said on Friday, UNN reports .
Details
The plane, carrying former Panamanian President Mireya Moscoso and other ex-presidents, was denied permission to "take off from Tocumen while they remain on board," Mulino said on social media.
This was due to the "blockade of Venezuelan airspace," he wrote.
The United States has warned Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro against interfering in the electoral process and said it is ready to "reconfigure" sanctions pending the outcome of the vote.
Along with Moscoso, former presidents Miguel Angel Rodriguez of Costa Rica, Jorge Quiroga of Bolivia, and Vicente Fox of Mexico were to fly to Venezuela. All four former leaders are strong critics of Maduro's government.
The Panamanian Foreign Ministry summoned a representative of Venezuela for explanations.
