(prensa.com) Vice President Juan Carlos Varela said in an interview Friday that Panama will begin a “big push” to get the U.S. government to approve a free trade agreement between the two countries.
Varela said that the first step is having the new Panamanain ambassador to the U.S., Mario Jaramillo, present his credentials to President Barack Obama in the coming days. He said the speed of Jaramillo’s appointment is a sign of the urgency the government sees in approving the trade agreement.
Varela said that the second step will be for Panama to send a technical team to Washington which will remain there until all the issues delaying the ratification are resolved.
“I am optimistic that the treaty will be sent to Congress very soon,” Varela said, adding that his
objective is to ratify theĀ agreement in the next three to six months.
“Everything indicates that the treaty has the votes in Congress for ratification,” he said.
President Ricardo Martinelli plans to visit Washington in late April, and it appears as though the trip will include a meeting with U.S. President Barack Obama. Martinelli will be in Washington to receive an award from the American Jewish Council, and officials are trying to coordinate a visit to the White House on the same trip.
“We hope to have a response soon,” said Varela.