Yván Gil, the Venezuelan Minister of People's Power for Foreign Affairs. Photo: EFE.
Venezuela denounced the forced opening of its diplomatic pouch at Panama’s Tocumen International Airport, calling the incident a violation of the Vienna Convention and demanding guarantees of non-repetition from Panamanian authorities.
The government of Venezuela, through an official statement, formally denounced the forced opening of its diplomatic pouch at Tocumen International Airport, Panama.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yvan Gil, denounced the incident, which occurred on Tuesday, February 24, via his Telegram channel. The act represents a direct and flagrant violation of the 1961 Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, in which Article 27 clearly establishes the inviolability of the diplomatic pouch, which cannot be opened or detained under any circumstances.
Text reads:
“The Government of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela denounces the events that occurred on February 24, 2026, when the opening of the Venezuelan diplomatic pouch was forced at the Tocumen International Airport in Panama City, Panama.”
Therefore, the authorities warned that this act violates the right to identity of Venezuelans residing in Panamanian territory.
The official statement explains that “the immunity of diplomatic communications is an essential principle for coexistence between nations. Its violation sets a dangerous precedent that affects the legal security of our missions and infringes upon the right to identity of the Venezuelan community residing in Panamanian territory.”
“In light of this outrage, the Bolivarian Government demands full guarantees of non-repetition. It urges the Panamanian authorities to strictly comply with the regulations governing diplomatic and consular activity, considering the willingness expressed by both governments to reactivate consular services”, the statement concludes.
The official note considers the willingness expressed by both governments to reactivate consular services as a relevant factor in compliance with the regulations governing diplomatic and consular activity.
(Telesur)
