News
Wednesday 23rd October 2024.
October 22, 2024
The constitutional challenge filed by former President Ricardo Martinelli against the 10-year prison sentence in the New Business case (alleging alleged violations of the principle of specialty ) will have to wait.
Two of the judges who made observations on the draft ruling presented by the rapporteur María Eugenia López Arias will be out of the country. Without them, the plenary session cannot be convened to decide whether or not to admit the claim.
This was reported by the Secretary General of the Court, Yanixa Yuen, through a video published on the social network X on Tuesday, October 22, 2024. It should be noted that the video was deleted and published again shortly after.
Yuen did not say who the two judges who will be absent are. He only said that one will be out of the country until November 8, and the other, from November 8 to 27. Therefore, the plenary session will be able to meet in December, if nothing happens that prevents the nine judges from being present.
Although Yuen remained silent, it has previously been reported who were those who made observations on López’s draft ruling: Carlos Vásquez, Cecilio Cedalise and Olmedo Arrocha.
The project, Yuen explained, “was observed by three judges, and for it to be discussed at the plenary meeting, not only the judges who observed it must be present, but also those who participated in the reading, regardless of whether they presented observations.”
This means that if any of the magistrates in the plenary session is absent, it is not possible to hold the meeting to analyze the claim of unconstitutionality.
Deciding whether or not to admit the lawsuit is the next step, after Martinelli’s recusal against López was rejected, which became final on October 10, 2024.
Martinelli filed this lawsuit against Mixed Sentence No. 02 of July 17, 2023, issued by the Second Liquidation Court of Criminal Cases, which sentenced him to 10 years in prison and a fine of $19.2 million.
The former president argues that Judge Baloisa Marquínez prosecuted and convicted him while -according to him- he enjoyed the protection of the principle of specialty established in the extradition treaty between the United States and Panama of 1904.
The United States has said on several occasions – through the State Department and its embassy in Panama – that this principle no longer applies to Martinelli.
Since February 7, 2024, the former president has been at the Nicaraguan embassy in Panama.
Javier Cachafeiro Richa , one of those investigated for the alleged commission of the crime of money laundering related to irregularities in the management of the defunct National Aid Program (PAN) , is now an advisor to the Presidency of the Republic .
The trial for this case began on Tuesday, October 22, but Cachafeiro will not be prosecuted because he reached a collaboration agreement with the Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office of Descarga , in which he agreed to participate as a witness and tell about the handling of bribes in contracts and purchases made by the PAN during the government of Ricardo Martinelli (2009-2014).
Cachafeiro testified on the first day of the trial and acknowledged his participation as a front man for Rafael Guardia Juárez , son of the former director of the PAN, Rafael Guardia Jaén .
Cachafeiro’s agreement with the prosecution was validated by Judge Águeda Rentería on August 24. By then, Cachafeiro had already been a presidential official for almost two months.
His appointment appears in the search engine of the National Authority for Transparency and Access to Information (ANATI) . He earns $6,000 per month, which is paid through payroll 172. The start date of his work is July 2, 2024 .
As Mulino’s advisor, Cachafeiro traveled on an official mission to New York from September 19 to 26, in the framework of the United Nations General Assembly.
For that trip, the Presidency arranged for the payment of a $1,400 travel allowance. The entity sent the payment request on September 19 and the Comptroller General of the Republic endorsed it the following day.
Cachafeiro was asked what he was doing now in the Presidency. He said he did not want to answer, but, when questioned by Judge Rentería, he said that he provided advice on “sensitive” issues .
He also refused to answer how much he earned. He did not have to do so because the judge decided that such an answer was not necessary for the proper conduct of the trial.
Guardia Jaén’s children are being prosecuted, but he is not, because he has already agreed to a plea deal with the prosecution.
When his participation (which lasted almost an hour) ended, Cachafeiro left the room, with his lawyer William Parodi.
It never saw the light of day. It never even became a bill. The legislative initiative presented by Deputy Jamis Acosta to double prison sentences for those who commit the crime of slander and libel was rejected by the Government Commission of the National Assembly.
When deciding whether to accept it or not, the majority of the deputies on the commission voted against it. Acosta’s proposal only had the support of his fellow party members Luis Eduardo Camacho and Ariel Vallarino. Acosta, Camacho and Vallarino are deputies from the ruling party Realizing Goals (RM).
At least 15 people who are believed to be part of a gang were captured early Tuesday morning, October 22, in Operation Azrael, which was carried out in the province of Chiriquí.
The Specialized Prosecutor’s Office for Gang Crimes reported that with the support of the National Police they managed to apprehend these people, including two of their leaders aliases “Pito” and “Christofer.”
These people are accused of belonging to the NTB gang , which operated in Las Lomas, Mata del Nance sector.
Agents from the prosecutor’s office and the police carried out a total of 19 search warrants in Chiriquí, to dismantle this criminal network dedicated to committing serious crimes, illegally carrying firearms, drug trafficking and fraud.
The Government of José Raúl Mulino opened a new digital television channel. It is called “ Sertv Deportes” , which will have the necessary resources for its operation and on-air performance.
This is detailed in an administrative resolution of the State Radio and Television Service (Sertv) published in Official Gazette No. 30144 of October 21, 2024 .
Sertv has acquired a new digital screen, which will expand its coverage. This new channel will cover sports topics.
For its operation, a Technical Committee was created, which is made up of a general director and the engineering, production, programming, operations, communications and legal advisory office departments.
The City of Knowledge Flag Field , located at the main entrance of this complex, was the scene of the traditional flag planting ceremony this Tuesday, October 22, as a prelude to the national holidays.
The activity took place in the morning and was attended by special guests as well as citizens who visit this area of the city.
Mariana Núñez Haugland, vice president of communications and culture at Ciudad del Saber, explained that this activity has been carried out uninterruptedly for more than two decades and that they usually plant 300 flags. But this year they increased that number.
On November 15, he said, there will be a parade with the participation of several school bands.
The United States has allocated $1,140,846 to fund Panamanian government air operations focused on deporting or expelling irregular migrants who do not meet the legal requirements to remain in the country.
Panama began deportation flights on August 20, 2024, as part of the memorandum of understanding signed between the two countries on July 1 of the same year. To date, this agreement has financed 19 charter flights and three tickets on commercial flights, with a total of 787 people returned, according to the United States Embassy in Panama.
Since the start of these flights, there has been a significant reduction in the crossing of Ecuadorian and Colombian migrants, with a decrease of 92% and 65%, respectively, compared to the same months last year, according to the official statement.
The funding covers the cost of airfare for deportees, as well as escorts, translators and other expenses related to operations.
For this pilot program, the U.S. Department of State allocated $6 million to the Department of Homeland Security to support the activities of Panama’s National Immigration Service.
According to the most recent data from the National Migration Service, 276,806 people have entered Panama irregularly through the Darien jungle in 2024. This figure represents a decrease of 37% compared to the previous year, with a difference of 161,810 fewer people than in 2023.