Panama is not a tax haven. We will not accept being placed in discriminatory lists. Mulino before the UNITED NATIONS ORGANIZATION
President of Panama, José Raúl Mulino, during his speech at the United Nations.
Source:Charly Triballeau | AFP
The president questioned the arbitrary inclusion of the country in various ‘black lists’, despite the significant efforts that have been made to improve its tax system.
The president of Panama, José Raúl Mulino, categorically rejected that the country be considered a “tax haven”.
In his first speech before the United Nations General Assembly, Mulino defended Panama's reputation and criticized the blacklists that have affected the nation's image, particularly after the "Panama Papers" scandal in 2016.
Mulino was emphatic in stating that Panama has been unfairly singled out and that the country has made great efforts to align itself with global standards of transparency. "Panama is not a tax haven or anything like that," he said, referring to the lists drawn up by the European Union and other international organizations.
According to the president, the country has been arbitrarily included in various "blacklists," despite significant efforts that have been made to improve its tax system.
In a forceful speech, Mulino not only rejected the classification of Panama as a tax haven, but announced concrete measures against countries that promote such lists (tit for tat).
“We do not accept being part of these lists,” the president said, adding that companies from the countries that draw them up will not be able to participate in public works tenders in Panama. This firm stance seeks to protect the country's sovereignty and send a clear message to its critics in the international community.
The president also warned that those same countries will not have Panama's support in international organizations, stressing that Panama's foreign policy will be aligned against discriminatory lists. They also use the Panama Canal with no restrictions.
“The countries that include us on their lists will not have our vote in international organizations either,” said Mulino, marking a turning point in the country's foreign policy.
Reactions
The president of the Panama Bar Association, Maritza Cedeño, supported Mulino's words, highlighting the efforts made by the country in terms of financial transparency.
“Panama has made great strides against money laundering, but when evaluating us, not all the efforts made are taken into account,” said Cedeño, who emphasized that the country has implemented regulations, created new institutions and established stricter controls in recent years.
Cedeño also criticized international evaluations that, according to her, do not reflect Panama's true effort to comply with global standards. “Every day we strengthen our institutions and regulations, and it is necessary that this be reflected in international evaluations,” she added.
For his part, the jurist, Juan Carlos Araúz,
described Mulino's speech as “important and assertive,” highlighting that it
will mark a change in Panamanian foreign policy. “President Mulino has defined
the direction of Panama's foreign policy,” said Araúz, who stressed the need to
close ranks in defense of the country's sovereignty against foreign interests.
“It is time to unite so that no foreign interest that is not committed to
Panama can benefit from our territory,” he concluded.