Ex-Panama president, once living large in Miami, sent home to face corruption charges
Former Panamanian President Ricardo Martinelli ran out of moves Monday to block his extradition on politically linked charges to Panama.
Martinelli, 66, who had been jailed in the Miami detention center since his arrest a year ago, was extradited to his homeland after he recently dropped his appeal of a federal judge's approval of Panama's extradition request and made one last pitch to the U.S. State Department, to no avail.
The department, which had final say, concurred with the Miami magistrate judge's decision. It was based on an amended century-old extradition treaty between the United States and Panama that the judge found applied to the charges against Martinelli.
“Our office is committed to upholding the rule of law and ensuring that justice is appropriately carried out for all parties," U.S. Attorney Benjamin Greenberg said in a joint statement with the Justice Department. "Because of Panama’s partnership with the United States, Martinelli has been returned to Panama.”
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