Ricardo Martinelli Announces Donation of Televisions to Prisons for the World Cup

Former President Ricardo Martinelli announced the donation of three televisions to various prisons in Panama. According to the former president, the goal is to allow inmates to support the national team during the 2026 World Cup, which will be held in Mexico, the United States, and Canada.  The announcement comes after recent statements by the Ombudsman, Angela Russo, who advocated for prison inmates to be allowed to watch the World Cup matches and reiterated that imprisonment does not negate the other human rights of inmates. Martinelli congratulated Russo on her prison inspections and expressed empathy for the situation of the prison population.  “I was imprisoned and I know what those young men suffer in there. Regardless of what they have done, they also deserve the opportunity to see Panama in the World Cup,” the former president stated.