Martinelli extradition inches forward

PANAMA’S Foreign Ministry has asked a Supreme Court   judge for a summary of the facts of the investigation of ex-president Ricardo Martinelli for alleged wiretapping.The judicial “affidavit” will be  included in the extradition request be sent to the United States.

The request was sent to investigating judge Geronimo Mejia   in the trial of Martinelli on August 4.

The Foreign Ministry, in its note on Mejia said that the request was based on his experience in the processing of extradition requests to the Government of the United States, it has observed that it is common practice in the US to  request  the attachment of a document with a narrative of the facts of the case in simple language

It  adds that the document should contain a history of research that clearly establishes criminal behavior, avoiding the use of technical words that are difficult to translate and appending  the documents the prosecutor in the case deems appropriate or necessary.

The note ,to  which media  had access, states that the request  is to avoid any questions  from the US and that the Supreme Court has authorized the Foreign Ministry to carry out the extradition of Martinelli.
Mejia sent to the  Martinelli extradition request to  Foreign Ministry and since then has been resolved a number of appeals filed by the defense of the former president including a warning of unconstitutionality and opposition to the extradition request for alleged irregularities committed by the prosecutor Judge Harry Diaz in the proceeding.

The argument used by the Foreign Ministry to reject defense requests was that in this instance no process is involved  as the entity only received an instruction from the Supreme Court, asking it  to send a communication to another government, in this case the United States.

Martinelli is facing trial for alleged wiretapping and illegal surveillance of  at least 150 people, including  political, trade union, labor leaders and journalists.

According to the investigation by Judge Harry Diaz in his role as prosecutor, Martinelli made use of the National Security Council to order surveillance, wiretaps and access emails  of opponents.

If convicted he could be sentenced to up to 29 years in jail.

He is also facing trial in numerous corruption cases, and is living in upscale Bricknell Avenue in Miami.

He has labeled the extradition move “bullshit”