Panama stated that the operation was carried out without incident. This was emphasized because the vessel's registration had been canceled, meaning there were no administrative or legal ties to the Veronica III. The Panama Maritime Authority (AMP) also stressed that the country had no control or responsibility over the vessel at the time of its interception. For Panama, the matter is straightforward: the vessel was not sailing under the Panamanian flag at the time of the incident. This clarification came after the United States reported the interception of the vessel in the Indian Ocean following a pursuit that reportedly began in the Caribbean Sea. Panama thus distanced itself from the situation. Washington maintains that the tanker was transporting sanctioned oil and was attempting to evade restrictions imposed by its government. According to the U.S. account, the operation was part of a policy to curb the movement of crude through irregular routes, including the so-called 'quarantine' of sanctioned vessels applied since December 2025.
