Restrictions faced by Venezuelan businessmen in obtaining dollars are causing delays in paying imports from the Colon Free Zone.

“I will travel to Venezuela on Monday,” said Ricardo Martinelli, who said he hopes to have “a direct frank and sincere conversation, with President (Nicolas) Maduro”. The president will travel with several Panamanian businessmen to the country to find a way to facilitate the prompt payment of debst to the businesses in the CFZ.

According to Panamanian Foreign Minister, Fernando Nunez, “we are talking about very substantial figures, figures of hundreds of millions of dollars (…), we will also establish mechanisms for consultation so that this does not happen again.”

In 2012, Panama exported goods worth $15,000 million, 20% went to Venezuela, its main market. “Right now in Venezuela what is lacking is dollars, and if there aren’t any dollars, entrepreneurs (Venezuelan) cant do anything else but offer bolivares and these are no good,” said Surse Pierpoint, president of the Association of Users of the Colon Free Zone .

Source: Noticierodigital.com