Martinellis and corruption suspects triumph in CD elections
THE MARTINELLI family and former state ministers and deputies at the heart of ongoing corruption investigations have been elected to office in Democratic Change (CD) party elections.
Their elections were finalized with the publication of an Electoral Tribunal (TE) bulletin on Monday, November 27. a month after the voting.
Ex-president r Ricardo Martinelli – detained in Miami since June 12- who continues to boast of an early return to Panama – where he faces multiple investigations – was elected as the delegate for the corregimiento of San Francisco. Also elected, for the same area, were Marta Linares de Martinelli and her daughter Carolina Martinelli Linares The Ricardo sons, who have fled the country, were elected to positions. for the corregimiento of Soná and Tocumen.
Former ministers José Raúl Mulino, Security; Jaime Ford and Federico Suárez, of Public Works; and Alma Cortes of Labor all facing investigations were elected to office.
The election of Suarez, however, is pending revision, according to the TE.
The deputies Carlos Afú, Noriel Salerno, Marilyn Vallarino, Yanibel Ábrego and.Sergio Gálvez were also elected.
Gálvez was under investigation for his alleged role in the $46 million dried food scandal, recently shelved by Martinelli appointee, Judge Ayu Prado.
