Former First Lady appeals to  Guatemala president over sons’ extradition

 Hours after a high-level US State Department official had warned that there would be “consequences” for Panamanians linked to corruption in the US, those, former first lady, Marta Linares de Martinelli, went to the Guatemalan embassy in Panama to send her “concerns” to the country’s president  Alejandro Giammattei, about her sons, Ricardo Alberto and Luis Enrique Martinelli Linares detained since July 6. in a  Guatemala prison awaiting extradition request to the United States, where they face charges of an alleged conspiracy to launder money linked to  Odebrecht and other crimes which could carry sentences totaling 50 years.

On Friday, August 7 the Fifth Criminal Sentencing Court of Guatemala ordered the start of the extradition process of Luis Enrique Martinelli Linares.

The same court granted a period of up to 40 days for the United States to present the formal request for extradition and the supporting documents

Meanwhile, the extradition process followed by Ricardo Alberto is being settled in the Third Criminal Sentencing Court, which has not yet released a decision.