The lawyer for former Panama President Ricardo Martinelli, Carlos Carrillo, criticized that the judicial system is attempting to criminalize political donations, despite there being no norm that prohibits them. Carrillo questioned the seriousness of an accusation that links political donations to supposed money laundering, in reference to the Odebrecht case. According to the jurist, the destination of the donations received by Martinelli in the 2009 campaign is duly substantiated by declarations filed at the time. He also indicated that in the order to trial, it is mentioned that at least four people are identified and linked to political donations made in 2009. Carrillo also denied that no one has been convicted in the Odebrecht case, noting that in Brazil the process was annulled, and recalled that the current president of that country, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, was convicted in that case before the ruling was left without effect. Regarding the development of the trial in Panama, he reiterated that on January 21, 2025, the hearing was suspended to guarantee the right to a defense.
