In a controversial announcement, former Panama president Ricardo Martinelli declared his intent to run in the forthcoming May elections despite a recent legal blow. Martinelli’s determination to seek office comes in response to the rejection of his appeal submission by the Supreme Court of Panama related to his conviction for money laundering.
Martinelli served as president of Panama between 2009 and 2014. Following the lift of prosecution immunity given to presidents in Panama in 2015 by the Panama Electoral Tribunal, Martinelli became the subject of a corruption investigation. Consequently, Martinelli was extradited from the US to Panama in 2018 following allegations of illegal surveillance.
In the years that followed, Martinelli was found guilty and sentenced to 128 months behind bars in 2021, accompanied by a monetary fine of $19 million. This was connected to his involvement in a case, now referred to as “New Business”, an operation involving the use of a shell company by the same name. This entity was used by Martinelli for the acquisition of the local media group, Epasa, financed through public funds.
Notably, according to the Constitution of Panama, an individual sentenced to five or more years of imprisonment cannot run for the presidency. Despite this clear stipulation, Martinelli reaffirmed his innocence on social media and made claims of being a victim of political persecution.
Now, with the rejection of his appeal, the case is formally closed, with an official notice of the appeal rejection and consequent directive for Martinelli’s arrest expected imminently from the presiding judge.
Amplifying the controversy surrounding Martinelli are recent events concerning his son, who was arrested in New York City for bribery and money laundering related to the Odebrecht scandal.
The compelling case of Ricardo Martinelli brings into question the ethical dimensions of political candidacy in Panama and prompts larger discussions concerning the state of democracy and rule of law in the region. The full story can be read on JURIST – News.