US State  Department meets with  Guatemala over “rule of law”

The US  Acting Undersecretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs, Michael Kozak , has had meeting with Guatemalan Foreign Minister, Pedro Brolo , at a time when the United States government is managing the extradition from Guatemala of Ricardo Alberto and Luis Enrique Martinelli Linares ,  for alleged money laundering and conspiracy to launder money.

The meeting took place on Sunday, August 16, in the Dominican Republic, where both attended for the inauguration of President Luis Abinader. Kozak who recently said  that for corruption there would be consequences reported that the meeting highlighted “the importance of defending the rule of law.” reports La Prensa.

On several occasions, Kozak has referred to the procedural situation of the Martinelli Linares brothers and their father, former President Ricardo Martinelli Berrocal.

On July 28, when Parlacen had issued instructions for the Panamanian caucus to swear in Ricardo Alberto and Luis Enrique as alternate deputies, Kozak announced that this act “would damage the rule of law and promote impunity in the region.”

“Individuals within Parlacen would like to use membership as a shield to block the extradition to the United States of accused criminals,” Kozak wrote on his Twitter account.

Later, in an interview with Radio Panama broadcast on August 6, he reiterated what the State Department has said since last December: that Panama does not need authorization from the United States to prosecute ex-president Martinelli since the principle of specialty. contemplated in the extradition treaty signed between both countries in 1904 is not in force.

“Under our interpretation, you don’t need anything from us in order to take action. It is now a matter of Panamanian law. If the authorities want to do something about Mr. Martinelli, they can. If they choose not to, that was their choice and it has nothing to do with the United States, “Kozak told Radio Panama .

The United States extradited Martinelli to Panama in June 2018 to be prosecuted for alleged political espionage and embezzlement. In August 2019, a trial court declared the former president “not guilty.” Martinelli is wanted in multiple other cases, such as Odebrecht and New Business, both for alleged money laundering. In the Odebrecht case, the sons also have an investigatory order issued by the Special Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office: Ricardo Alberto, since January 23, 2017, and Luis Enrique, since September 19, 2018.

They both have been detained in Guatemala since last July 6, at a request from the United States. hey were captured while trying to board a   private plane to Panama.

According to a criminal complaint filed by the FBI in federal court in New York at the end of June, the brothers  participated as “intermediaries” in the receipt and payment of bribes for $28 million, “under the direction of Odebrecht.” The FBI reported that they met several times and in person with the former president’s children.

The payments would have benefited a Panamanian official, whose name has not been noted in the documents released, However, this official is described as “an official with a very high position in the government of Panama” between 2009 and 2014, a period that corresponds to the presidential mandate of Martinelli Berrocal, and, in addition, a “close relative” of the two defendants.

The lawyers for the Martinelli family have requested an appointment with Foreign Minister Alejandro Ferrer, for Panama to ask Guatemala to hand over Ricardo Alberto and Luis Enrique, in order to avoid extradition to the United States reports La Prensa.