Attorney Challenges Odebrecht Trial Over Legal Procedure Violations

Attorney Carlos Carrillo harshly questioned Judge Marquínez, pointing out that Brazil does not allow notifying any person linked to the case because Brazilian judge José Antonio Dias Toffoli declared all proceedings null and void. According to Carrillo, this decision prevents the parties from properly exercising their right to defense within the process. This was made evident yesterday after the first day of the trial, during which it was revealed that in October 2025, the Office for the Execution of Mutual Legal Assistance and International Cooperation Treaties notified Marquínez that the Tribunal had not met the deadline to complete the information requested by the Brazilians in January of that year. As for the trial schedule, Judge Marquínez established that it will take place from Monday to Thursday. The defense's request specifically concerns the statements of Luiz Andrés Ravello, Olivio Rodríguez, Mónica Moura, and João Santana, which, according to Carrillo, were not subject to debate or confrontation by the defense, violating basic procedural principles. In this sense, Carrillo requested Judge Marquínez to decree the nullification, whereby evidentiary elements not subjected to adversarial proceedings were evaluated. Other attorneys, such as Guillermina McDonald, asked that due process be respected and the right to confrontation be guaranteed. Before the trial formally began yesterday at 9:13 a.m., Judge Marquínez decreed a first recess to attend a hearing for the validation of a plea agreement in favor of Francisco Pérez Ferreira. In turn, attorney Pedro Meilán ironically stated that the judges' decision has now left them in a state of defenselessness. Judge Baloisa Marquínez's office was aware that the necessary clarifications had not been made to Brazil regarding the request for international assistance for the Odebrecht case. Subsequently, another recess was held for an alternate hearing in favor of Juan Carlos Espinosa, who accepted criminal responsibility in this case. Now, by not fulfilling the responses and not receiving assistance, the right to defense has been violated. This clarification included the use Panama would give to the information it requested and the commitment to respect Brazil's decision. Carrillo indicated that the defense of former President Ricardo Martinelli maintains deep concern over what they consider an evident violation of the minimum principles of due process. Likewise, the jurist criticized the judge's determination to evaluate evidence according to sound judgment without having previously listened to the defense attorneys, which, in his opinion, has left his clients in a state of defenselessness. For Friday, Judge Baloisa decreed a recess in the Odebrecht case, as she must continue with the development of the Fisher case, which had been suspended by the Oral Trial Court. "For me, it is regrettable, but we will continue to denounce it both locally and internationally," he stated. "A defense cannot exercise its function if it cannot examine the evidence. For today, Tuesday, starting at 9:00 a.m., the hearing for this case, which has 24 accused who yesterday declared themselves innocent of the charges of money laundering, will resume."