Sons of Ricardo Martinelli to face US justice

A charter flight will today carry Luis Enrique Martinelli Linares,  accompanied by agents of the US Marshals Services, from his prison in Guatemala where he has received VIP  treatment to an un-named jail in New York to face trial on money-laundering charges

 The son of former President Ricardo Martinelli will soon be joined by his brother Ricardo Alberto Linares who faces similar charges.

The two sons of the former governor have been detained in Mariscal Zavala Military Prison after their capture, on July 6, 2020 at La Aurora airport, as they were preparing to board a private flight to Panama.

The extradition of Luis Enrique Martinelli was approved by the Fifth Court of Criminal Sentencing, Drug Trafficking and Crimes against the Environment of Guatemala last May, and then ratified by the Court of Appeals in June.

The process of Ricardo Alberto Martinelli Linares came to an end when last week he made public his decision to acquiesce in the extradition process, desisting from all legal remedies presented to the Guatemalan authorities.

There is still no date for his extradition but it is estimated that with the withdrawal of the appeals and the acceptance of his transfer, it will be set quickly.

Both are accused of conspiracy to launder the bribes that Odebrecht gave to Panamanian officials and politicians to obtain public infrastructure contracts during the government of their father, Ricardo Martinelli.

In Panama, both face a process for money laundering, also related to Odebrecht reports La Prensa.

The Third Criminal Liquidation Court set the preliminary hearing for this case for July 18, 2022.

They also appear in the money laundering process, through the Blue Apple company, allegedly used as a “basket” for the deposit of bribes for the concession of projects.

On August 10, the third judge who settled the criminal case, Baloisa Marquínez, accepted the 30-day term to decide whether to accept the accusation presented by the Public Ministry of calling 54 people to trial for money laundering crimes, but it has not yet made its decision known.