{"id":16169,"date":"2016-03-20T13:14:23","date_gmt":"2016-03-20T18:14:23","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/panamaadvisoryinternationalgroup.com\/blog\/?p=16169"},"modified":"2016-03-20T13:14:23","modified_gmt":"2016-03-20T18:14:23","slug":"transparency-international-urges-parlacen-to-revoke-membership-of-panama-ex-president-martinelli","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/panamaadvisoryinternationalgroup.com\/blog\/transparency-international-urges-parlacen-to-revoke-membership-of-panama-ex-president-martinelli\/","title":{"rendered":"Transparency International urges PARLACEN to revoke membership of Panama ex-President Martinelli"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"martinelli<\/a><\/p>\n

Chris Sanders writes for Transparency International about Ricardo Martinelli.<\/p>\n

Central American Parliament (PARLACEN) membership hinders investigation into alleged corruption by Martinelli and his cronies<\/p>\n

Transparency International today urged the Central American Parliament (PARLACEN) to revoke the membership of former Panamanian President Ricardo Martinelli, according to an open letter<\/a> from the Chair of Transparency International and its national chapters in the Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Panama.<\/p>\n

Martinelli\u2019s membership limits the ability of the Panamanian justice system to prosecute alleged corruption by him. He enjoys legal privileges from PARLACEN that hinder Panama\u2019s investigation and prosecution of his alleged wrong-doing. For example, he can only be investigated by the Supreme Court.<\/p>\n

\u201cRicardo Martinelli and his cronies are being investigated for grand corruption that created deep personal wealth for themselves while apparently preventing food from reaching the poor and taking school supplies from children,\u201d said Transparency International Chair Jos\u00e9 Ugaz.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s time for PARLACEN to be on the right side of justice. It\u2019s time to stop the special treatment for Martinelli so he can experience the full extent of Panamanian law.\u201d Transparency International also called all citizens of Central America to support this call on PARLACEN by signing an online petition at: www.bit.ly\/22lSUVT<\/a><\/p>\n

Ricardo Martinelli has called PARLACEN a \u201cden of thieves\u201d and as President of Panama he tried to end his country\u2019s membership.<\/p>\n

Meanwhile twelve formal charges have been filed against Ricardo Martinelli in the Supreme Court of Panama related to his alleged involvement in grand corruption and abuse of power during his administration. Six of these charges have been accepted by the Court.<\/p>\n

In the letter Transparency International asked the President of the Central American Parliament the following questions:<\/p>\n