Extradition request for Martinelli sons in American hands

The extradition request for Ricardo Alberto and Luis Enrique Martinelli Linares, sons of the ex-president Martinelli investigated for the alleged money laundering linked to the Odebrecht bribery scandal is “in American hands” said Panama  Vice President and Foreign Minister Isabel Saint-Malo on Wednesday, June 13.

“It’s up to Panama to wait. We have already fulfilled the request of the Public Ministry Public to process the request for extradition and we have to wait for the United States to analyze, review the documentation and do what they have to do” she said.

So far the official whereabouts of the Martinelli Linares brothers are unknown, although it is presumed they are in the United States.

De Saint Malo de Alvarado told Panama media  that a few weeks ago the Ministry  processed the application they had received “several months ago”, because when it  first arrived they could not continue with the process because the sons of former President Ricardo Martinelli had criminal electoral jurisdiction as they were running for office in the CD Party. [a ploy that delays court action  used by a number of  high profile CD  members facing corruption and embezzlement charges]

“We had to wait for the Electoral Tribunal to lift that jurisdiction. The moment it was lifted, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs began the evaluation of the documentation to make sure that it met all the requirements”  she said.