Panama, which will assume a seat as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council in January, lamented on Sunday the decision of the Central American Parliament (Parlacen) to approve a request to incorporate Russia as an observer. The Panamanian government “deeply regrets the untimely decision of the Central American Parliament to grant Permanent Observer status to the Russian Federation,” the Panamanian Foreign Ministry stated in a press release.
Panama has rejected Parlacen’s approval of Russia as a Permanent Observer State, citing concerns over the current international context. Panama continues to uphold principles of peace, democracy, and human rights. The decision, made in Guatemala City, is still pending several ratifications that could take around eight months.
Russia’s request to join Parlacen has been in the works since 2018, supported by its strong ties with Nicaragua. Parlacen includes El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama, and the Dominican Republic.
Panama recently announced plans to open a Ukrainian embassy, following a meeting between President José Raúl Mulino and President Volodymyr Zelensky at the UN. This reflects Panama’s alignment with Ukraine amid the ongoing conflict.
Starting January 1, Panama will hold a non-permanent seat on the UN Security Council. The government emphasized that the Parlacen decision does not reflect Panama’s foreign policy, especially in light of its upcoming UN role.
While most Central American countries support Ukraine, Nicaragua backs Russia. Parlacen’s resolutions are non-binding, and Costa Rica and Belize do not participate in the forum, which also has observers like Mexico, Morocco, Puerto Rico, Taiwan, and Venezuela.
