Martinelli return bombshell defused
SALES of Panama’s La Estrella likely took an upward surge on Wednesday, May 16 when apage front-page headline announced the voluntary return of former President Ricardo Martinelli to face trial for illegal wiretapping which carries a potential 20 years jail sentence although, by the time his team of lawyers completes its litany of delaying tactics and appeals, much of that time could be eaten up.
Martinelli is within three weeks of completing a year behind bars in a Miami Federal detention center awaiting extradition to Panama. He is now facing a hearing in an Atlanta court on whether he should be allowed to spend his time in his, Miami mansion before returning face trial in the country he once ran like a family business or remain in his spartan cell without access to his beloved Twitter account.
The Supreme Court declared Martinelli in absentia in October 2017 and the prosecutor accused him of the crimes of embezzlement, inviolability of secrecy and the right to privacy.
On Wednesday his spin doctor. Luis Eduardo Camacho called national and international media in Miami to an “urgent” conference at 4:45 p.m. in a restaurant. The announcement was accompanied by a black and white portrait of Martinelli.
An hour after the call, Camacho launched a tweet, canceling the meeting: ‘URGENT: The restaurant in which we had announced the press conference of the office of former president Martinelli canceled the reservation for us. ‘technical’ problems, which forces us to postpone the announced press conference; We appreciate your understanding’.
La Estrella rewrote the story for its digital edition saying that Martinelli’s lawyers were analyzing his possible voluntary return to Panama.
The political and judicial scenario of his case would be complicated by the next Democratic Change Party conference and Panama’s Supreme Court.
The idea of returning voluntarily to their land could be taken as a risky political gamble as there is no rule that stipulates a definite time in which the US Department of State. make effective the delivery of a citizen requested in extradition says La Estrella.
By withdrawing appeals underway in Atlanta, the time of return would be in the hands of the American and Panamanian Executive and the decision, would be purely political.
Once outside the judicial sphere, the extradited party is under the authority of the State Department and coordinated with the requesting State, which has to send a delegation to the United States to receive Martinelli and specify the delivery.
The Cambio Democrático party, of which Martinelli was founder – and until January 21, president – will hold primary elections on Sunday, August 12 and Martinell may seek to re-establish control of the fractured party.
If he was competing as a candidate for election Panama’s quaint rules would prevent the criminal process from continuing.
The prosecutor of the case, Judge. Harry Díaz, announced on May 8 that he will take 17 days of vacation, from August 6 to 22
Upon his return Panama Martinelli must attend a hearing, in which the nine magistrates of the Court would participate, for the imposition of a precautionary measure restricting freedom, depending on the considerations that are granted., because of his supposed deterioration in health, he could, like many before, request house arrest or preventive detention in a hospital.
One of the ways to minimize the risks of waiting for extradition, according to international lawyer Francisco Carreira, is to reach an agreement between the parties: the Prosecutor’s Office, the United States Department of State, the Panamanian counterpart, and Judge Edwin Torres, of the Court of the Southern District of Florida. ‘
If you indicate that you wish to voluntarily return, you will have to withdraw the bail appeal, as
