Former Panamanian President Ricardo Martinelli, who had sought refuge in the Nicaraguan embassy in Panama City over a year ago, left the embassy on Saturday after Panama’s courts upheld a money laundering conviction against him. Martinelli then traveled to Colombia, where he was granted political asylum. The Colombian government formally notified Panama about the asylum grant, and Panama allowed Martinelli safe passage to Colombia.
Martinelli, 73, had been sentenced to 10 years in prison in July 2023 for money laundering related to the purchase of a publishing group. After his sentence was confirmed, he took refuge in the Nicaraguan embassy in Panama after being granted asylum by Nicaragua’s President Daniel Ortega. He had stayed in the embassy for over a year.
A businessman and supermarket mogul, Martinelli served as Panama’s president from 2009 to 2014, a period marked by significant economic growth, including the construction of Central America’s first metro system and the expansion of the Panama Canal. However, his presidency was marred by allegations of bribery and corruption, with the U.S. imposing sanctions on him in January 2023 for corruption.
Martinelli has repeatedly claimed that his prosecution was politically motivated, particularly as he sought to run for a second presidential term. In 2023, he secured his party’s nomination to run for president again, but his money laundering conviction made him ineligible. Martinelli then supported his running mate, current President José Raúl Mulino.
In February 2024, Nicaragua granted Martinelli asylum, although Panama had initially denied Nicaragua permission to transfer Martinelli there. The Colombian government had not previously made any public comments on the matter.
