Former Panamanian President Ricardo Martinelli, who has been found guilty of money laundering, has been granted permission by Panama’s government to leave the country for Nicaragua due to health concerns. Despite facing a 10-year prison sentence and a $19 million fine, Martinelli has avoided arrest by taking refuge in the Nicaraguan embassy in Panama City, where he has been living since February 2024. He has consistently maintained his innocence and denies any wrongdoing, but accuses authorities of plotting against him. The decision to allow Martinelli to depart is based on humanitarian grounds, according to Panama’s Foreign Affairs Minister Javier Martínez-Acha Vásquez. The decision comes after Martinelli’s asylum request in Nicaragua was approved and his inability to run in the country’s presidential race due to the legal status of his conviction.

Source: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/3/28/panama-approves-embattled-president-martinellis-passage-to-nicaragua?traffic_source=rss