Pandora's box re-opens for Martinelli as probes resume

 Criminal processes including high profile players like ex-president Ricardo Martinelli and his sons, and former president Juan Carlos Varela will resume on Monday, May 18   as the office of the Attorney General Eduardo Ulloa prepares to return to where it  left off on  March 19, when the suspension of judicial terms was decreed due to the pandemic emergency.

The reopening of the work was determined according to a Supreme Court agreement on April 30.

Despite the pandemic, Public Ministry (MP) reported that prosecutors have been active and now are starting to organize to resume the procedures that were on the agenda before.

Each office is preparing an action plan to advance the investigations

Odebrecht
Among the cases that must be reactivated are those of the bribes that Odebrecht paid in Panama to obtain multi-billion dollar contracts.

On March 12, the Special Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office imposed country arrest on  Doctor Jaime Lasso , who in the past proclaimed himself as a “lobbyist” of Odebrecht.

According to the investigation, through different companies linked to Lasso, the Brazilian construction company gave at least $10 million to the Panameñista Party, to which former President Juan Carlos Varela belongs

It is estimated that as part of this investigation, other figures related to the Party will be called to testify before the prosecution reports La Prensa

Investigations in which Ricardo Martinelli) is linked are also on the agenda.

In the Public Ministry, they reported that these are six cases that the Supreme Court of Justice sent them after the former president resigned from being a member of the Central American Parliament (June 2018).

These are the cases for alleged irregularities in the collection of tax through Cobranzas del Istmo SA; the complaint filed by Aurelio Camano for alleged anomalies in the sale of land in Veraguas; the complaint about granting pardons to people convicted and prosecuted for common crimes.

Likewise, the case of alleged irregularities in the granting of a loan from the State Savings Bank; that of alleged anomalies in the purchase of dehydrated food; and the complaint filed by the Superintendence of the Stock Market for the alleged use of privileged information for the purchase of shares in the company Petaquilla Minerals through the defunct securities firm Financial Pacific.

US role
A note from Thomas Heinemann, counselor in the Office of Foreign Affairs of the United States Department of State, cleared the way to investigate Martinelli for the cases. In the letter, dated December 12, 2019, Heinemann informed the Public Ministry that Panama is free to bring Martinelli to trial without obtaining an exemption to the Principle of Specialty from the United States.

This, due to the fact that this principle contemplated in the extradition treaty signed by both countries in 1904 would no longer apply, because the ex-president has been allowed to travel outside of Panama since  September 15.

Heinemann’s position was ratified by staff from the US embassy in Panama. and  Ulloa informed the superior prosecutors of the note for them to start investigating.

He reiterated that Panama is a subscriber to international treaties and conventions and among these is the extradition treaty of 1904, which establishes the extradition of Panama with the United States and, according to Ortiz, one of the basic principles of that treaty is that of specialty.

The anti-corruption prosecutors must also continue other high-profile cases in which crimes against public administration, corruption, money laundering, influence peddling, among others, are investigated.

The Pandeportes, Blue Apple, Community Boards, FCC and New Business cases, among others,

Once the judicial term resume, the different judicial offices will apply strict biosecurity measures to avoid new infections of coronavirus.

They will also continue to use telework in cases that allow it. In addition, they reported that they will have special schedules with semi-face-to-face sessions, and some hearings will take place through video, as they have done in the last two months says La Prensa