The denial of safe passage to Ricardo Martinelli by the Government has been the best news this week. When this criminal formulated his strategy to escape and not serve his sentence, once again the country was left on tenterhooks writes Rolando Rodríguez in La Prensa.

It was a ruse planned days or perhaps weeks in advance, in perfect secrecy, since he did not want anyone to find out. Well, the shot went wrong. In a sensible act and in defense of our judicial sovereignty, the Government rejected the request for this subject not to stick his tongue out at us.

Well, it wasn't like that. Now, after mattresses, a toilet, a sink, a grill, furniture, and appliances, that place where he went will not stop being what it is from this moment in his cage.

 I don't care if he wants to make it gold, because, even if it is made of diamonds, it is a cage. But, knowing him, I am sure that at some point – not far away – he will go out alone to ask to be taken to El Renacer, which will not be made of gold, but, at least, he has company and ways to distract himself.

However, I also agree with the Government that he should not remain there, since "any action, statement or communication made by former President Ricardo Alberto Martinelli Berrocal from the diplomatic headquarters and has an impact or impact on the domestic politics of Panama, “Will be considered interference in the internal affairs of our country and, therefore, will generate diplomatic consequences.”

 I don't know who wrote this warning, but for the first time, I feel that there is a Panamanian in the Government who feels something for his country.

But, if the Embassy ignores it, it is evident that Martinelli made the worst calculation of his life by going there, since his stay is extended, he will be – in fact – imprisoned since he will not have the freedom to even take Bruno for a walk. But, furthermore, the time he is there will not be deducted from his sentence, and he makes me happy because at least this way he pays for other things that he got rid of... who knows how.

COWARDICE
It was his usual cowardice that led him to make this mistake. It would have been better to escape and ask for asylum in his supposed new homeland, but he did it from here, perhaps terrified of being captured outside of Panama. His mockery failed and now there is no grill or washing machine to satisfy him. He must be crying, because, no matter how much he ran, lied, pretended, danced, kicked, invented, defamed, and mocked all of us, justice caught up with him and hit him where it hurt the most - in his pockets and his freedom.

I thought these would be boring carnivals, but no. I advise you to take advantage of the days of lucidity that you have left because this voluntary confinement will tear you to pieces.

Meanwhile, I wonder what José Raúl Mulino, an instrument of Martinelli, will do: used and discarded for his purposes, Martinelli himself ended RM, and those who hope to gain from the push of that group lose their time and money, yes, he is someone he donates to his candidates. Ricardo Martinelli chose to live these last years of his existence in a toilet, and now – a victim of his insatiable greed – he has ended up flushing the toilet.