No menu items!

COSTA RICA'S LEADING ENGLISH LANGUAGE NEWSPAPER

HomeTopicsLatin AmericaPanama prosecutors request 21-year spying sentence for ex-president

Panama prosecutors request 21-year spying sentence for ex-president

Panamanian prosecutors demanded a 21-year sentence for spying against ex-President Ricardo Martinelli during an indictment hearing in the capital, Panama City.

Martinelli, who was extradited back to Panama last month from self-imposed exile in the United States, is accused of “giving orders” to his Security Council to “illicitly intercept many citizens’ communications” between 2012 and 2014.

The 66-year-old was detained a year ago in Miami after an international arrest warrant was issued against him. Panama accused him of graft and spying on his political foes, and submitted an extradition request to the United States.

He is accused of intercepting emails, telephone calls, memory cards, phone books and audio recordings of confidential conversations.

Panama court orders detention of ex-President Ricardo Martinelli

Prosecutor Henry Diaz, who on Monday read out 30 pages of accusations, said Martinelli conducted “political espionage” without judicial authority against opponents, union leaders and civil society groups that constituted “a continued and systematic violation of intimacy and human rights.”

President from 2009 to 2014, supermarket tycoon Martinelli fled to the United States in 2015 to avoid arrest. He denies the accusations, claiming they are politically motivated.

He is also accused of helping to embezzle $45 million from a government school lunch program as well as other cases of extortion, bribe-taking, misappropriation of public funds and abuse of power

 

Trending Now

Costa Rica’s Olympic Hero Claudia Poll Alleges Abuse by Famed Swim Coach

Claudia Poll, Costa Rica's only Olympic gold medalist, and two other former swimmers from the country, alleged on Monday that they suffered psychological, physical,...

Costa Rica Rescues Endangered Amphibians and Turtles in Store Bust

The Judicial Investigation Agency (OIJ), through its Specialized Section Against Environmental Crimes, carried out an operation at a store in Vázquez de Coronado, San...

Costa Rican Economists Raise Alarm Over U.S. Cash Transfer Tax

In 2026, the U.S. government will impose a 1% tax on cash remittances sent from the United States to Latin America. Electronic transfers will...

US and Panama Begin Joint Exercises to Protect Panama Canal

US forces teamed up with Panamanian police for fresh military drills focused on safeguarding the Panama Canal, starting amid ongoing debates about foreign influence...

Panama’s Colonial Trade Route Named UNESCO World Heritage Site

The colonial route of Panama, used for centuries to transport the riches of the Americas on mules and boats and considered a forerunner of...

Canadian Tourism to Costa Rica Drops Amid Rising Crime Concerns

Canadian visits to Costa Rica have started to drop in 2025, with crime playing a big part in the shift. Data from the Costa...
spot_img
Costa Rica Coffee Maker Chorreador
Costa Rica Coffee Maker Chorreador
Costa Rica Travel Insurance
Costa Rica Rocking Chait
Costa Rica Travel

Latest News from Costa Rica