Panama City, Jan 7 (EFE).- The Spanish-led consortium working on the $5.25 billion expansion of the Panama Canal on Tuesday proposed to the waterway administration that it provide it with an advance of $400 million to avoid a suspension of work this month. br br Spanish construction giant Sacyr Vallehermoso and its partners in the GUPC consortium - Italy's Impregilo, Belgium-based Jan de Nul and Panamanian firm CUSA - also offered to put up $100 million of their money as a "definitive solution" to the conflict threatening to halt work on the project starting on Jan. 20.