Judge Declares Arrest of Suntracs Leader Jaime Caballero Legal

A judge, Meylin Jaén, ruled this Friday, May 16, that the arrest of Suntracs leader Jaime Caballero is legal and valid. He is scheduled to be heard for alleged crimes against economic order, specifically for his involvement in a money laundering case.  The prosecutor in the case is Emeldo Márquez, who also handled the New Business corruption case.  Caballero was arrested in the province of Chiriquí during the protests on May 12. As part of the legal proceedings facing the leader of the Single Union of Construction and Related Workers (Suntracs), prosecutor Emeldo Márquez revealed new details about his alleged involvement in a money laundering case.

The details include the use of union funds to pay off a personal loan Jaime Caballero had with the Agricultural Development Bank (BDA). According to the Prosecutor’s Office, on June 21, 2024, the union leader used union funds to pay a $39,252.72 loan that was in arrears to the BDA, using cashier’s checks. Prosecutor Emeldo Márquez explained that, to justify the transaction, Caballero allegedly provided false information to the bank about the origin of the money, which—in the opinion of the Public Prosecutor’s Office—constitutes an attempt to conceal the illicit origin of the funds. This maneuver is part of the case opened for alleged money laundering.