Martinelli participation in Odebrecht bribes “is clear”

Martinelli resits transfer to public hospital [file photo]

 
1,731Views 3Comments Posted 03/07/2020

Martinelli participation in Odebrecht bribes “is clear”

Former President Ricardo Martinelli, charged with money laundering did not appear for his meeting with the Odebrecht corruption investigator on Friday, July 3, as he played a health card, used frequently while under investigation after being e from the United States but apparently never used while he spent a year in a Miami jail.  His claims included cancer and other “illnesses” for which he sought treatment from private doctors, rather than specialists in a public hospital.

"the participation" of Martinelli, in the collection of bribes paid by Odebrecht's Caja2 Department in exchange for the granting of multi-million dollar contracts for the construction of mega works during his administration is clear in says the investigatory order signed by the. special anti-corruption prosecutor, Tania Sterling. In the document to which TVN had access  it is indicated that this "was not only for the award of contracts but also for the streamlining of payments and bureaucratic processes, actions that were compensated through illicit money by the Odebrecht company, supposedly through his children Ricardo Alberto and Luis Martinelli Linares.

The facts contained in the investigation are serious, says TVN  because it mentions how millionaire bribes were received and there is a list of people allegedly involved.

These would be part of the reasons why the prosecutor decided to issue an investigation order against the ex-president, but he did not appear at the appointment that had been scheduled for this Friday, July 3, because he claimed that he is incapacitated.

"It has been shown that Ricardo Martinelli Berrocal, as President of the Republic, carried out negotiations with representatives of the company Norberto Odebrecht, not only to benefit from the financing of the electoral campaign of the Democratic Change party, which he maintained as a candidate for José Domingo Arias but received payments in his favor and this was demonstrated with the documentary and testimonial evidence that rests in this case, "affirms the investigative order of the Public Ministry.

Martinelli has been charged with money laundering, linked to the company Odebrecht, which has acknowledged paying billions of dollars in bribes that resulted in being favored with state contracts in Panama and other countries.

The providence cites testimonies from Figures such as Mónica Moura and André Campos Rabello, as well as the joint-stock relationships that they point out "were used to triangulate payments for the benefit of Odebrecht".

They also detail the relationship with the presidential campaign of José Domingo Arias.

"Over the time that they were working for the Democratic Change party and raising the image of the Martinelli government, Odebrecht was making the payments and using  a front company named Isagon Investments with which it made a contract for $4.4 million

for marketing work The contract was signed with the company owned by Joao Santana named Shellbill with a Swiss account, the document explains.