The former Panamanian president, Richard Martinelliwho aims to return to power in 2024, was sentenced to nearly 11 years in prison for money laundering during his term (2009-2014), in a sentence that will be appealed by the former ruler.

The court “sentences him to 128 months in prison” and a $19 million fine, according to the 306-page sentence.

The judge in the case, Baloísa Marquínez, also sentenced four other people with sentences ranging from five to eight years in prison, while ten other defendants were acquitted.

Martinelli’s defense announced it would appeal the ruling.

“They simply wanted to link Ricardo Martinelli to situations where he is not in a relationship,” Carlos Carrillo, one of the former president’s lawyers, told a news conference.

The First Organized Crime Prosecutor had sought against Martinelli the maximum sentence of 12 years in prison for buying the majority of shares of Editora Panamá América with state money in 2010.

“Commitment of a money laundering offense has been proven,” prosecutor Emeldo Márquez said.

Martinelli, however, qualifies this process as a “rigged impeachment” and assures it is all about “political persecution” to prevent him from running for president on May 5, 2024.

“Since they do not have the votes to win Ricardo Martinelli in the elections, they intend to circumvent democracy and the popular will,” the spokesman for the ex-governor, Luis Eduardo Camacho, told the Telemetro channel.

historical statement

According to the suit, the publisher’s purchase came about through a complex cooperative arrangement in which several companies contributed a total of $43.9 million.

That money came from the payment of commissions, up to 10% on the original contract, for infrastructure works during the Martinelli administration, which the company allegedly acquired with some of those funds.

The ruling now orders “the confiscation in favor of the state” of the shares of the Panama América Editor and its facilities.

“It is a ruling of enormous importance because it breaks with the tradition of impunity that is the hallmark of Panamanian justice when it comes to large-scale corruption,” Lina Vega, president of Transparency International’s Panamanian chapter, told AFP.

The former president was tried from May 23 to June 2 for this case, known as “New Business” (name of one of the companies used in the plot).

“It is a historic verdict, it is the first time in Panama’s history that a businessman, former president and concerned politician has been sentenced to 10 years in prison for money laundering and corruption,” Metro Libre newspaper director James Aparicio told AFP.

Odebrecht corruption and other matters

Martinelli, owner of a supermarket chain, won the 2009 election with an anti-corruption speech, although more than a dozen of his ministers were arrested over various scandals at the end of his term.

The former president, extradited from the United States in 2018, was acquitted in 2021 in a trial for alleged espionage of opponents.

In January 2023, the United States announced an entry ban for Martinelli and his associates close family for “significant acts of corruption”.

The former president, 71, In August, he is again on trial for alleged money laundering of bribes paid by the Brazilian construction company Odebrecht.

Despite everything, Martinelli wants to rule again in 2024.

“Martinelli is a favorite in the polls to win next year’s elections, but if the verdict remains final, he will not be able to run,” Aparicio said.

However, Martinelli has already gone through the bureaucratic procedures to register his candidacy to head the Realizing Goals party (right), whose primaries he won in June.

Analysts believe that this court decision could determine the election process.