Former Panamanian President Ricardo Martinelli is sentenced to 10 years in prison for money laundering

First modification: 07/18/2023 – 16:54

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The court “sentences him to 128 months in prison” and the payment of a fine of 19 million dollars, according to the ruling, which can be appealed.

The ex-president has described the process against him as a “rigged impeachment” and assures that it is all about “political persecution” to prevent him from running for the 2024 presidential elections.

“There are people here who are doing the unspeakable, violating the law, violating the Constitution and violating the judicial system for the sole purpose of trying to disqualify me politically,” Martinelli said recently.

“I am not going to be intimidated by those siren songs of a rigged trial, they are going to have to kill me,” he added.

The New Business case and the purchase of the Panama América Publishing House

The first prosecutor against organized crime had requested against Martinelli the maximum sentence of 12 years in prison, which could be extended up to 18, for buying in 2010, with state money, the majority of the shares of Editora Panamá América.

According to the indictment, the purchase was made through a complex partnership scheme where various companies deposited a total of $43.9 million.

That money came from the payment of commissions, of up to 10% over the original contract, in infrastructure works during the Martinelli government.

With part of these funds, Martinelli acquired the communication company, whose editorial line has defended the ex-governor’s postulates ever since.

Martinelli, 71, aspires to return to power, despite being called to trial in August for another case of alleged laundering of bribes paid by the Brazilian construction company Odebrecht.