Former Panamanian President Awaits Bond Hearing in Miami

CORAL GABLES, FL — Former Panamanian President Ricardo Martinelli will remain in jail pending a June 20 court date in Miami following his arrest by U.S. Marshals at his Coral Gables home. The arrest was in response to an extradition request from Panama. Martinelli is facing multiple corruption charges in the country he led from July 2009 to 2014.

In a complaint filed on behalf of the U.S. government seeking to fulfill its treaty obligations with the Panamanian government, Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam S. Fels said that an arrest warrant was issued after Martinelli failed to appear in court in Dec. 2015. (Sign up for our free Daily Newsletters and Breaking News Alerts for the Coral Gables-Coconut Grove Patch.)

The former president is charged with interception of telecommunications without judicial authorization, tracking, persecution and surveillance without judicial authorization.

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According to the complaint, Martinelli is accused of misappropriating Panamanian government resources to "illegally intercept and record the private communications of at least 150 individuals whom he identified as 'targets,' including his political allies and opponents, and family members thereof; judges of Panama's Supreme Court of Justice and Electoral Tribunal; journalists; businessmen, including Martinelli Berrocal's business rivals; union activists; professional and civic association leaders', Martinelli Berrocal's mistress; and others."

The document stated that the former leader carried out his clandestine operations using equipment purchased with public funds and members of Panama's National Security Council.

"Martinelli Berrocal created and oversaw a sophisticated program that involved illegal wiretapping and other forms of surveillance through which he violated the privacy of his targets, learning intimate details of their personal and professional lives without their knowledge or consent, and without authorization under Panamanian law," the document noted.

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