Martinelli “happy” about son’s pending extradition to USA

Former President Ricardo Martinelli put on a show of bravado on Friday, October 15,  saying that he is very “happy” at the imminent extradition of at least one of his two sons to the United States, “since whoever does not owe it, does not fear it ” reports La Prensa.

Upon leaving the oral trial that follows him for political espionage in the last two years of his government (2012-2014), the former president was asked about the procedural situation of his sons Ricardo Alberto and Luis Enrique Martinelli Linares, detained in Guatemala since July 6, 2020, at the request of the United States.

“I would like my children to go to the United States as quickly as possible because they have to prove their innocence there,” he said.

That statement contrasts with the legal strategy of the Martinelli Linares brothers in Guatemala, who have presented all kinds of appeals, in various instances, to avoid being handed over to the United States.

Martinelli stated that his offspring wanted to come to Panama to face the processes he has here, for the bribes paid in the Odebrecht and Blue Apple cases.

In fact, for years the whereabouts of Luis Enrique and Ricardo Alberto was unknown (although at the end of 2018 they were detained for two weeks for immigration issues), but the day they were captured in Guatemala, they were preparing to board a private plane, in the La Aurora airport, which would bring them back to Panama.

“It fills me with great joy and satisfaction that this is over soon because you have to show your face since whoever does not owe it, does not fear it,” he said.

On October 13, Canal Antigua reported that the US embassy in Guatemala had received the file of Luis Enrique Martinelli Linares from the Guatemalan Foreign Ministry. The Foreign Ministry acknowledged that it received the documents, but that it is still carrying out the procedures to send it to the embassy, ​​”the body that is responsible for setting the date of extradition.”

The extradition process of Ricardo Alberto is slowing down and is still being settled in the Third Court of Criminal Sentencing, Drug Trafficking, and Crimes against the Environment.

The two sons of the former president remain in a military prison.

Both are required for the alleged commission of various crimes related to money laundering, in the Eastern District Court of New York.