Martinelli’s first 100 days [behind bars]

PANAMA’S  fugitive former president marked his first 100 days behind bars on Monday, September 20.

Ricardo Martinelli .  in a Federal jail in Miami pending extradition is wanted by the Panamanian justice system for the alleged wiretapping of some 150 people of opposition politicians, journalists, social communicators, businessmen, officials and other Panamanian personalities. Even his mistress has been named as a target of his snoops.

During his stay at the Federal Detention Center ,Martinelli went to court five times to fight extradition to Panama. At the last hearing, the extradition was approved.

A month after his arrest he was denied bail despite his lawyers asserting that there was no risk of escape from his client and they and they offered a $10  million bond  for house arrest in his newly purchased $8.2 illion mansion. His  five-man legal team claimed that Martinelli would submit to a surveillance device or bracelet and would include a system of video surveillance and private security, which would be paid by Martinelli  himself to ensure that he would not flee from Miami.

US judge Edwin Torres, was not convinced and considered that with his overseas connections and wealth the supermarket magnate was a fight risk.

On August 31,  Torres ruled Martinelli’s extradition to  Panama viable.

The defense filed an appeal to suspend theprocess for at least 30 days while planning to prepare a writ of habeas corpus.

However, the judge rejected the petition. “A 30-day suspension is not necessary,” Torres said in his decision, arguing that “the court has a minimum jurisdiction” to suspend the extradition process.

Political persecution
Martinelli settled in the US, after he left Panama on a tour in January 2015 claiming  political persecution of by the Government of Juan Carlos Varella.

The “persecution” mantra was taken up by some former cabinet members  and Matinelli business associates facing corruption investigations.

Martinelli is also facing a dozen corruption and  embezzlement  investigation all with lengthy sentences attached if convicted. If  found guilty in the wiretapping case, he could face up to 21 years in jail, which would make his first hundred days a drop in a murky ocean