OFF THE CUFF: Martinelli in land of the Blarney Stone

AFTER a cool reception in Guatemala where The Central American Parliament (Parlacen) said he had no immunity from prosecution, and gave short shrift to his claims of political persecution, former President Ricardo Martinelli has flown to Ireland which has no extradition treaty with Panama.

Following on the announcement that Martinelli has given power of attorney for his business empire to his wife and brother, the move has Panama’s political pundits speculating on the purpose of his trip.
Earlier in the week the former presidential spin-meister Luis Eduardo Camacho announced that Martinelli would undertake an international tour, which included meetings with “leaders of the United States,” but when his plane left Guatemala it headed for an overnight stop at Opa-Locka, Florida, not known as the home of the political who’s who, before taking off for a four and a half hour flight to Gander, Newfoundland, Canada.March

From there it crossed the Atlantic to Shannon Ireland where it landed at 3.20 am local time on Saturday  Jan. 31, reports La Prensa.
Currently, Panama has no extradition agreement or treaty with Ireland, according to the Center for Legal Research of the Faculty of Law and Political Science at the University of Panama.
In Guatemala, Martinelli proclaimed without much success that he is a victim of political persecution by the lies Juan Carlos Varela, his successor in office following the initiation of an investigation into irregularities in the $45 million purchase of dehydrated foods million during his administration. He is also the target of numerous criminal denunciations, including one from his former lawyer over wiretapping during his administration.
Camacho has given no names or dates of Martinelli’s appointments with political leaders to press his case of persecution, but Ireland is the land of the Blarney Stone, and to kiss the stone is believed to give the kisser eloquence and may prove useful.