Jailed Martinelli shares croissants coffee, gossip in front of TV
Ex- president Ricardo Martinelli followed the presidential primary of the CD party he founded from the comfortsof El Renacer prison on Sunday, August 12,
According to Luis Eduardo Camacho, his spokesman, cheerleader and proponent of the political persecution mantra surrounding Martinelli’s trial for illegal spying on at least 150 people. the former leader watched on television as party members vote for Romulo Roux, leaving his favored candidate Raul Mulino a distant also ran.
Camacho says he visited him early: at 8:00 a.m. when they had coffee and croissants together.
“He would have liked more people to vote,” said Camacho, referring to the 32% turnout of followers that didn’t reflect an earlier boast that Martinelli would return triumphant to Panama to be greeted by cheering crowds.
Camacho laid the blame for the poor turnout on the CD leaders headed by Rómulo Roux, who organized two primaries: the presidential and that for the other elected offices (September 30).
Martinelli could not vote in his party’s primaries because the Electoral Code says that if you they are imprisoned and have not received a conviction; you can only vote for President of the Republic. So
on May 5, 2019, the former president could have support the candidate of his choice, but he wasn’t chosen.