Bearded Martinelli repeats political corruption mantra

FORMER PRESIDENT Ricardo Martinelli emerged from the  Twitterless shadows on Wednesday, November 4 to reappear on  CNN(Spanish) sporting a  beard  which softened the pugnscity of his looks but  not his words .

While he is being investigated in Panama in multiple  corruption cases, he ignored the evidence of some of his former inner circle, and the statements from former numerous high ranking officials linking him to events in the National Assistance Program (PAN)  and quickly returned to his old theme of a “political process” invented to stop him traveling to Panama.

Referring to the case of wiretapping, Martinelli said he was “not aware” of anyone spying and just worked for the country. Two of his former security team are behind bars awaiting trial, and two are fugitives, after  eavesdropping on at least 150 journalists, judges, businessmen and political opponents.

Martinelli has been linked in several cases of corruption in Panama. One of the most controversial is Financial Pacific The former director of  Supervision of the Securities Superintendency , Ignacio Fábrega, fingered Martinelli  in the scandal in which the man who uncovered the scandal disappeared, and is believed by his family and friends to be  dead.

Martinelli and his brother Mario are charged with irregularities in the purchase of grains that were funded through the (PAN). None of this was aired in the interview.