Ex-president Varela faces  money laundering investigation

Former Panama President Juan Carlos Varela (2014-2019), appeared on Thursday morning, July 2, at the Special Anti – Corruption Prosecutor’s Office in the Odebrecht case, who summoned him to face an investigation for alleged money laundering while his predecessor, Ricardo Martinelli (2009-2014). was attending an interrogation by the Second Specialized Prosecutor Against Organized Crime who called him to investigate the New Business case, about the purchase of the Grupo Epasa allegedly with public funds

“I answer to the Public Ministry, which has summoned me,” said Varela when he arrived at the headquarters of the prosecution, shortly before 9:00 am, where prosecutor Ruth Morcillo was waiting for him. Minutes earlier, Martinelli had entered.

A week ago, in another process linked to Odebrecht that took place under the accusatory criminal system (SPA), the judge of guarantees Irene Cedeño validated the evidence in the complaint filed by Sidney Sittón and Miguel Antonio Bernal against Varela, and which also reaches the former Minister of Public Works and former treasurer of the Panameñista party , Carlos Duboy, and the former diplomat Jaime Lasso and his daughter Michelle.