Venezuela breaks relations with Panama: Maduro

Google – AFP, 5 March 2014

Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro (C) and first lady Cilia Flores

 greets supporters before a military parade in Caracas on March 5,

2014 (AFP, Juan Barreto)

Caracas — Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro said Wednesday his government was breaking diplomatic relations with Panama after the country proposed a meeting of North and Latin American nations over protests in Caracas.

During a ceremony marking the anniversary of Hugo Chavez's death, Maduro said he decided to "break political and diplomatic relations" with Panama after it requested talks at the Washington-based Organization of American States (OAS).