Ex-Panama president's jail letter blames U.S. for extradition
Source: Reuters
MAY 26, 2018 / 12:05 AM / UPDATED 16 HOURS AGO
Elida Moreno
2 MIN READ
PANAMA CITY (Reuters) - Former Panama president Ricardo Martinelli, jailed in Miami on spying charges while awaiting extradition to his home country, said in a letter released Friday that the United States reneged on promises from some U.S. officials to offer him a safe-haven.
“After years of friendship with this country, I did not expect to be thrown in a U.S. jail,” he wrote in a letter dated May 14 and released by a spokesman.
Martinelli was jailed last year in the United States after Panama requested extradition on charges that he used public money to spy on more than 150 political rivals during his 2009-2014 term.
A U.S. court authorized the extradition last year, and Martinelli last month maintained his innocence but said he would stop fighting the proceedings for judgement in Panama.
Read more: https://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-usa-panama-martinelli/ex-panama-presidents-jail-letter-blames-u-s-for-extradition-idUKKCN1IR05M?rpc=401&
EXCLUSIVE: Panama's ex-president wiretapped Americans, according to court documents
At least two Americans were among those targeted by President Ricardo Martinelli, according to a witness affidavit in the Miami extradition case against the former president. Martinelli's lawyers say he is being framed by the current government of Panama.
Por:
GERARDO REYES,
DAVID ADAMS,
JUAN COOPERy
DAILY CAMACARO
24 JUN 2017 – 5:37 PM EDT
The former deputy manager of the 2008 presidential campaign of John McCain and a decorated U.S. military officer were allegedly the subjects of illegal wiretapping ordered by Panama's ex-president Ricardo Martinelli, according to a former Panamanian official involved in the spy program.
. . .
His remarks appear to be the basis of a U.S. government court filing in Miami this month backing a request by Panama to have Martinelli extradited to face charges of embezzlement and illegal spying.
. . .
In its detailed court filing last week the U.S. Justice Department said Martinelli used the espionage system without legal authorization to wiretap the phones of political enemies, judges, journalists, business competitors, as well as his own mistress.
. . .
However, Panama's request did provide a detailed outline of the accusation against Martinelli, alleging that he unlawfully directed a state agency that "provided the necessary equipment, resources and personnel" to intercept "emails, memory cards, telephone directories, audio, recording of confidential and personal conversations of cell phones and landlines, as well as photographs, surveillance and tracking of people."
More:
https://www.univision.com/univision-news/latin-america/exclusive-panamas-ex-president-wiretapped-americans-according-to-court-documents
