Relationship dossier
Panama
Venezuela
Relationship assessment
Recurring diplomatic confrontations over sanctions and Venezuela’s disputed elections
Panama toward Venezuela
-45Panama imposed measures against Venezuelan officials in 2018 and recognized opposition leader Juan Guaidó as interim president in 2019. After Venezuela’s disputed 2024 presidential election, Panama suspended diplomatic relations and withdrew its diplomats.
Venezuela toward Panama
-45Venezuela imposed economic and diplomatic measures against Panama in 2018 amid a dispute over Panama’s sanctions on Venezuelan officials. In 2019, Venezuela expelled Panamanian diplomats after Panama recognized Juan Guaidó. In 2024, Venezuela severed relations with Panama following its criticism of the presidential election.
Overall relationship
-45Repeated disputes over sanctions, opposition recognition, and the 2024 election have made diplomatic relations substantially adversarial. The disputes have included reciprocal diplomatic measures and interruptions to formal relations.
How to read these scores
Scores are rough judgments, not objective measurements or current verification. Directional scores describe government policy and conduct, not public opinion. The overall score is an independent estimate, never an average.
- −100
- Extreme sustained hostility
- −50
- Substantially adversarial
- 0
- Mixed or neutral, supported by knowledge
- +50
- Substantially cooperative
- +100
- Exceptionally close sustained partnership
“Not assessed” means there is no recorded score. Pair existence makes no claim about diplomatic recognition or established relations.
Relationship context
Overview
Relations have been marked by recurring diplomatic confrontation, particularly over Panama’s sanctions and recognition of Venezuelan opposition leadership, and Venezuela’s retaliatory measures. In 2024, Panama suspended diplomatic relations following Venezuela’s disputed presidential election, while Venezuela severed relations with Panama and other governments that challenged the election result.
Areas of tension
- Panama’s 2018 sanctions on Venezuelan officials and Venezuela’s retaliatory economic measures
- Panama’s recognition of Juan Guaidó and Venezuela’s expulsion of Panamanian diplomats in 2019
- Panama’s criticism of Venezuela’s 2024 presidential election and subsequent suspension of diplomatic relations
Key developments
Panama imposed sanctions on Venezuelan officials; Venezuela responded with economic measures against Panama.
Panama recognized Juan Guaidó as interim president of Venezuela, and Venezuela expelled Panamanian diplomats.
Panama suspended diplomatic relations and withdrew its diplomats after Venezuela’s disputed presidential election; Venezuela severed relations with Panama.
Major uncertainties
- The scope and implementation of bilateral economic measures are unclear.
- The extent of practical government cooperation outside major diplomatic disputes is uncertain.