Panama Supreme Court lets ex-President Martinelli’s sentence stand, likely ending his reelection bid

By ALMA SOLÍS
Associated Press

PANAMA CITY (AP) — Panama’s Supreme Court has denied an appeal from former President Ricardo Martinelli, convicted of money laundering in the case of a media company he purchased. Friday’s ruling will likely keep Panama’s former leader out of this year’s presidential race. The court’s decision was to let stand a 10-year prison sentence for Martinelli, rendering him ineligible to run in Panama’s presidential elections on May 5. The 71-year-old businessman was one of eight hopefuls vying for the presidency. But Article 180 of the constitution says that no one sentenced to five or more years for a crime can be elected president or vice president.