Election crime trail theory supported

THE REVELATIONS of Mónica Moura and her husband, about Odebrecht’s $21 million donation to the campaign of former Democratic Change (CD) presidential candidate José Domingo Mimito Arias for the 2014 elections “corroborates the theory of crime “Within the investigation followed by the Special Anti-Corruption Prosecutor.

The word comes from  Rolando Rodríguez Cedeño, Secreyary  General of the Office of the Attorney General, who added that the accusations of Monica Moura  and  Joao Santana, CD campaign managers  before Brazilian prosecutors, ratify “the means of conviction” that Panamanian prosecutors already have in the case file, reports La Prensa.

Cedeño added  that this demarcation is the first and that at some point they will receive others. “As prosecutor Kenia Porcell announced a few months ago, we are waiting for the disclosure in Brazil with the means of conviction they have in their respective proceedings,” he said.

So far , the prosecution has filed charges in the case  for the alleged commission of money laundering and corruption offenses: Amado Barahona, former director of the Financial Analysis Unit; André Rabello, Odebrecht’s former Panama manager; and Joao Santana and Mónica Moura. A national banking officer and three persons who were the visible faces of the societies through which the money was transferred were also held accountable. At the moment the names have not been disclosed.

For theresearch, the Public Ministry (MP) has made five requests to Brazil  for Judicial assistance.

A request, dated April 12, 2017, seeks to obtain copies of audios, videos and transcripts of the affidavits rendered before the Superior Electoral Court of Brazil by Luiz Eduardo da Rocha Soares and Fernando Migliaccio da Silva.

Gone to ground La Prensa contacted CD deputy José Muñoz, who was the campaign chief of Arias to consult him on the revelations of the Santana-Moura. He said that he “did not handle” the financial part. Attempts to contact CD officials Mario Miller and Rómulo Roux, also got no response.

According to Monica Moura, $4 million of the $ 21 million that the campaign cost would be paid through contracts signed by Miller and Roux, representing the CD.

Mimito Arias,  and his vice-presidential running mate  Marta Linares de Martinelli, former first lady also went to ground and attempts to reach them through the CD press office got no response.