New push to investigate Panama links to Brazil corruption

PRESSURE   is mounting on Panama’s Public Ministry to get moving on requests from Brazil to assist in investigations into  corruption  allegations linked to  the construction giant Odebrecht which has received over $8 billion in contracts from Panama governments, including the present administration.

The issue has come to the fore once again, with the issuing  of red alert for the arrest of Brazilian publicist João Santana, as part of the Lava Jato bribery scandal The investigation has already seen the detention of  numerous high level business and political leaders  including the former president of Odebrecht who, as recently as last year, received red carpet treatment in Panama.

Civil society and members of political parties have called on the Public Ministry to investigate  links between the previous government and Santana who was brought to Panama to guide the election campaign for  the Ricardo Martinelli  controlled CD party election campaign with José Domingo  Arias as their presidential candidate, and Marta Martinelli Linares, wife of the former  president as the vice-presidential running mate.

Santana worked closely with Martinelli’s own dirty tricks manipulator, Salomon …  creating an alliance with the mantra, “winning is the only thing that matters.”

Ramón Ricardo Arias, president of the Panama chapter of Transparency International told La Prensa,  “I would like to see the Public Prosecutor’s Office cooperate with their Brazilian colleagues on this.”

Political scientist Carlos Guevara Mann said that there needs to be a wider investigation of Odebrecht in Panama, a company also involved in the Lava Jato case which has done projects in Panama since the government of Martín Torrijos.

“What was he paid? Who paid him? Does Santana have other links to Panama? Does he have any bank accounts here? These questions are of interest not only to the Brazil justice system, but also to Panamanians,” said Guevera..

According to Brazil authorities, Santana received payments from Odebrecht through Panamanian companies says La Prensa.

Odebrecht President Marcelo Odebrecht was arrested last year in the case, which has found that companies in Panama were linked to bribes paid by the contractor.

Santana, who has run a number of successful political campaigns, has been accused of receiving bribes from Odebrecht.

“At least since the time of Martin Torrijos there is sufficient evidence to examine closely the operations of Odebrecht in Panama. Now that it has issued an arrest warrant against Santana, the Public Prosecutor, the Comptroller General’s Office and other agencies of control and supervision must act without further delay, “said political scientist Carlos Guevara Mann.

“How much were   their fees? Who paid? What other links does Santana have  in Panama? Is  he the holder or beneficiary of a bank account in Spain? These questions are of interest to the Brazilian courts, but also to Panamanian citizens, “said Guevara.

Ramon Ricardo Arias, president of the Panamanian chapter of Transparency International, said: “Let’s see if the Public Ministry cooperates with its Brazilian colleagues on this.”

Panamanista Deputy Luis Eduardo Quirós, who worked on the campaign of the current president Juan Carlos Varela, said: “At all times we knew that our opponent had no scruples and was a political consultant who works for whoever pays him, regardless of values ​​or democratic criteria. Nothing surprises us with what is happening “.

Analyst Mario Rognoni aid that “the investigation of Petrobras will throw out many surprises, there will be many people involved,” he predicted.