Convicted Venezuelan fraudster seeks Panama asylum

A CON ARTIST, who has a prison cell awaiting him in Spain, is seeking “diplomatic” asylum in Panama.

Carmelo Romano, who also happens to have been a former Venezuelan presidential candidate in 2006, is currently sitting behind bars awaiting the outcome of an extradition request from Spain.

One of his lawyers, Antonio Perez, has confirmed yesterday that his client announced his aspiration for asylum last week and to be visited by Panamanian Foreign Ministry officials in the cell of the Directorate of Judicial Investigation where he is detained.
Romano-founder of the United People's Liberal Movement-opposes extradition under Article 2508 of the Judicial Code: "Extradition shall not be granted in the case of persons who in the opinion of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs are prosecuted for political crimes ".
He said that the judgment of a court in Valencia, Spain, is related to political criticism against the Spanish government.
 Roman was sentenced in 2012 to four years in prison and fined $7, 900 after being convicted of fraud. https://www.newsroompanama.com/panama/6143-venezuelan-political-scammer-arrested-in-panama.html
Perez claimed that his client's arrest was illegal since it was completed without the benefit of an extradition request from Spain or a local arrest warrant.