Martinelli seeking political asylum in USA

INSTEAD OF a triumphal return parade across Panama Ricardo Martinelli is seeking ‘political asylum’ in the United States after the expiration of  his 180 day permit   granted to visitors who enter the country with a tourist visa.

The team of lawyers advising him has made  a formal request for the status of ‘refugee’ or ‘political asylum’, for allegedly being a victim of political persecution by the government of President Juan Carlos Varela, sources close to the former ruler have told La Estrella and El Siglo

Currently Martinelli is in Miami.

The request was presented before the United States Immigration Service, but, according to the sources, the US diplomatic delegation in Panama has recommended denying the request, arguing that the ex-president “does not meet the requirements”.

The US Immigration Service grants this status for people who can demonstrate that in their respective countries they have been victims of persecution for reasons of race, religion, nationality and/or membership of a particular social group or political opinion.

However, the US Embassy in Panama considered that Martinelli does not meet any of these requirements, and that, by contrast, he has a dozen court cases related to corruption, that he must face.

So far, the US government has not given an  official response, but Martinelli’s lawyers have been alerted by other routes  that the request will be denied in the coming days.

The intention to remain abroad comes four months after his spin doctor spoke  of Martinelli’s  triumphant return, allegedly in a caravan from the province of Chiriqui.

That could only happen if he is shielded by the electoral immunity that he acquired  because  of internal CD elections in October.

If the request is denied, the immigration authorities would issue an “invitation” to leave American territory voluntarily within a short period of days.

Once this short period ends Martinelli would be declared “illegal” and would risk being deported if arrested by an agent of the Immigration Service.

Given this possibility, the ex-president’s lawyers have advised him to leave American soil as soon as possible and move to a third country. This would be possible because, for now, there is no international arrest warrant for him.

On Tuesday, October 6  on his Twitter account, Martinelli  announced that “To be in USA a visa is required and you can stay up to 180 days unless you invest at least $500,000 and change to an investor visa”.