The Panamanian government has launched an investigation following the interception of several oil tankers by the United States near the coast of Venezuela, which were allegedly operating under the Panamanian flag. This was confirmed on Monday by Foreign Minister Javier Martínez-Acha, who reiterated the call for respect for the national flag. The minister explained that authorities detected irregularities that raised serious alerts, including the disconnection of the location system, changes in the vessel names, and inconsistencies in the crew's registration. “When a vessel turns off its location system and presents anomalies in its documentation, it is a clear sign of irresponsible use of our flag,” stated Martínez-Acha. The statements come after US forces boarded the oil tanker “Bella-1”, allegedly under the Panamanian flag and sanctioned by the US. American authorities consider the vessel to be part of a so-called “ghost fleet”. The minister assured that the investigations continue and emphasized that Panama demands strict compliance with national laws, international maritime law, and sector practices by all vessels sailing under its flag.
