Martinelli's Defense Presents Evidence of Innocence in Odebrecht Case

The defense of the former president has presented 21 extraordinary exhibits, including a certification indicating that the Electoral Tribunal did not advance any process against Martinelli regarding private contributions and donations to presidential campaigns during the 2004 and 2009 electoral periods. Likewise, the General Comptroller's Office certified on January 21 that it has no record of investigations against Odebrecht. It was indicated that in the order to trial, it is mentioned that there are at least four identified individuals linked to political donations from 2009. The certification, dated January 15, 2026, is signed by the Acting Secretary General, Gustavo Bonilla. Documentation from the Comptroller's Office and the Comptroller's Court of Panama certifies that the construction company Norberto Odebrecht does not maintain nor has been patrimonially processed before this constitutional body, as recorded in its database. The certification completely dismisses the prior offense: there is no crime against the State. Attorney Ángel Álvarez, a member of the defense team, was emphatic in stating that the 21 exhibits presented must be admitted, considering that they constitute the only real mechanism to demonstrate his client's innocence. For Álvarez, the scenario could achieve a certain balance with the admission of those exhibits. In simple terms, the Comptroller's Court certifies that there was never any harm. This certification, signed by the Secretary General Myrtha Varela de Durán, specifies that although for those processes, parties and candidates had the obligation to register their private contributions with the Electoral Tribunal, the handling of the information enjoyed a status of confidentiality and reserve that was only delivered to the Public Ministry and the Judicial Branch upon request for a criminal investigation, which did not occur in Martinelli's case. This document dismantles the Prosecutor's Office accusation, which is based on that the State was harmed and that from that economic harm, money was obtained that was later laundered. The attorney added that the file has been built exclusively from an accusatory perspective, without allowing for a true contradiction of evidence for years. Regarding the political donations from the construction company, the lawyers have warned that these contributions are being criminalized when there are no norms that prohibit it. Without a patrimonial injury to the State as a precedent for the supposed conduct to be punished, the weak foundations of the prosecutor's office are evident. In the case of former President Ricardo Martinelli, attorney Carlos Carrillo has emphasized that the destination of the donations received in the 2009 political campaign is duly substantiated in declarations. "For the first time, we have the opportunity for the exhibits we consider address the state of innocence of our defendee to be evaluated, examined, and admitted to the file". Expectation The defense of former President Ricardo Martinelli remains in expectation that the judge will admit the evidence presented last week in the Odebrecht case. Álvarez denounced that the Odebrecht case process is developed in a profound imbalance, marked by a one-sided investigation, an excess of formalities, and a justice that, in his opinion, has moved away from due process. It is fundamental to highlight that for there to be money laundering, there must be a prior crime.