Martinelli denies bribery allegations, attacks journalist

Fresh revelations  about the alleged Panama bribe scandal  including details of e mail messages  involving a son of  President Ricardo Martinelli and mayor Roxana Mendez, continue to be published.

Meanwhile  Martinelli stood in front of the presidential palace on Friday and said: “I can tell you categorically that neither I nor anyone in the Government has received a penny  from the Svermark company."

He was going public for the first time, three days  after news reports of a  scandal allegedly involving the president, began circulating the world.

 Martinelli said he had nothing to hide and that "all doors are open to whoever wants to investigate." Referring to  investigations by the Prosecutors of Naples of Valter  Lavítola   he described the Italian suspect, now in a Naples prison as an " instrumental person " to Panama, to whom the country owes the treaty to avoid double taxation with Italy and six patrol boats, among other things. 

When asked about Karen De Gracia, the president of the society Agafea Corp. which  held a contract  for "sales promotion" with Selex, the Italian company that sold 19 radars to Panama, the President said that he knew her and she has a daughter with Lavítola. The president blamed the opposition for a campaign against him. 

Martinelli, who looked calm at the beginning of his appearance before the media, twice launched an attack on Hugo Famanía of Medcom in the question period, and described him as a former drug addict

In emails released Thursday by TVN, Martinelli’s son Richard appears as part of the  negotiations with Italian companies. The president said that "anyone can make an email," but that he had reviewed them and  there was nothing sinful.