Retention of Panamanian ship would be a consequence to the asylum granted to Galo Lara

The Government of Rafael Correa refuses to return a Panamanian ship which was detained with drugs in October, by which the Government of Panama recalled its Ambassador in Ecuador, Jose Noriel Acosta.

Therefore, Ecuadorian Foreign Minister Ricardo Patiño, wrote yesterday through his account on the social network Twitter, that under their authority,  each country can recall their ambassadors when they consider it necessary, and said that before issuing a comment “first he will see the statements” issued by the Central American country.

For his part, Panamanian Foreign Minister Fernando Nuñez Fabrega, said that Ecuador has “tried linking” the case of the boat with their request for the extradition of opposition politician Galo Lara, who was granted territorial asylum in Panama on October 26.

“We send the Vice-Chancellor (Mayra Arosemena) to meet with the highest authorities of Ecuador, it was understood that this was linked to a new request of Ecuador, so we revalue the political asylum given to the  former legislator Lara,” said Nuñez Fabrega.

Nunez also said that if  the Panamanian interpretation of the matter was wrong, “this is the moment” for Ecuador to deliver the boat to Panamanian jurisdiction. “Then we would ask for the apologies for the misunderstanding”, he added.

Doria, the Panamanian-flagged ship was detained in international waters by the Navy of Ecuador on October 13 with 799 kilos of drugs.