The US declares former president Varela “corrupt”

The Embassy of the United States announced on Thursday, July 13, the designation of former Panamanian President Juan Carlos Varela as ineligible, in general, to enter the United States.

The diplomatic delegation distributed a statement from the State Department, in which it details the reasons for the designation of Varela as ineligible to enter US territory.

The statement recalled that this is a designation by the United States Secretary of State, Antony Blinken.

At the end of the statement, it is recalled that not only Varela entered that list, but also his immediate relatives.

Varela currently has an impediment to leave the country and must periodically report to a court because he is one of the suspects involved in a crime of money laundering, in the Odebrecht case.

Accepted Bribes 
 According to the US State Department, during his tenure as vice president and later as president of Panama, Varela “accepted bribes in exchange for improperly awarding government contracts.”

“Corruption unfairly deprives the people of Panama of quality public services such as schools, hospitals, and highways, to the detriment of their economic prospects and their quality of life,” the State Department statement said.

The statement added that if corruption is not addressed “it will continue to suppress Panama’s prosperity, weaken its democracy and prevent the country from achieving its full potential.”

In another point of the statement, the State Department indicated that they hope that the appointment of  Thursday, July 13, “urges the elected officials and the Panamanian authorities to combat corruption.”