Panama on Venezuela crisis

Panamanian President José Raúl Mulino has proposed hosting a summit of 17 Latin American presidents to address the political turmoil in Venezuela following the disputed presidential election on July 28, where both Nicolás Maduro and opposition candidate Edmundo González claimed victory. The summit aims to foster regional cooperation and issue a joint declaration advocating for democracy and a peaceful resolution to the conflict. Mulino has asked for support from the United States to facilitate the meeting, highlighting the urgency of the situation, which has seen at least 24 deaths amid ongoing unrest against Maduro's alleged election victory. Countries including Panama, Peru, Uruguay, and Costa Rica have recognized González as the legitimate winner, while the opposition continues to contest the electoral results. The Organization of American States had previously attempted to address the crisis but failed to pass a resolution due to abstentions from several member states. The proposed summit represents a critical diplomatic effort to unify Latin American leaders in response to Venezuela's escalating crisis.