The United States government revoked the visas of the former President of the Republic of Panama, José Gabriel Carrizo, as well as the businessmen and brothers Budy and Ralph Attie D’Jamous, according to information circulating in the country. The measure was applied last week, although to date, U.S. authorities have not specified the reasons for the decision. In parallel, the Comptroller General of the Republic of Panama ordered the seizure of properties and bank accounts of the former Vice President Carrizo for an amount of $1,313,818. This action is part of investigations into the alleged misuse of public funds and unjustified enrichment during his tenure as vice president. Additionally, the brothers Budy and Ralph Attie D’Jamous are also being investigated for their alleged involvement in the Fintek case, related to the management of digital vouchers during the COVID-19 pandemic. Initially, this service was provided by Cable and Wireless with an annual cost of $5.5 million, but after the government's failure to make payments, the company Fintek, linked to the Attie family, took over the service in July 2022 under new conditions. The administrator of the Authority for Governmental Innovation (AIG), Luis Oliva, is also implicated in the investigation. The three accused face charges of illicit association for criminal purposes, embezzlement, and corruption of public officials.
