Odebrecht Witness Ignores Summons, Leading to Trial Suspension

The Odebrecht trial hearing continued, marked by the absence of witness Damaris Rodríguez Araúz, who failed to appear despite being summoned. The tribunal clarified it had received all necessary judicial documents for her attendance, one dated September 3, 2025, four months before the hearing began, and another on January 26, 2026. In his testimony, Antonio Lim admitted to using information from Rodríguez Araúz's report for his own, stating he did not know why the former police captain signed the documents as part of the Judicial Investigation Directorate's Division of Crimes Against the Public Administration. Before imposing the relevant fine, Judge Baloisa Marquínez ordered a new summons for Rodríguez Araúz to appear before the tribunal on Friday, February 13, starting at 8:30 a.m. The witness's defiance marked the 18th day of the Odebrecht case hearing; the former National Police official ignored the tribunal's call, having been summoned since August 17, 2025, which caused the trial to be suspended until the following Friday, February 13. The date was originally set to conclude the closing arguments phase; however, the presentation of expert and testimonial evidence will continue, delaying the finalization by at least another week. Alfredo Vallarino, a lawyer for former President Ricardo Martinelli, stated that his client's only link to the company were donations received before his constitutional term as President of Panama (2009-2014), which were properly justified to the Electoral Tribunal, and therefore, no crime exists and he must be declared innocent. Vallarino mentioned his goal is to demonstrate that Rodríguez Araúz lacks the expertise to issue reports that can be considered in the money laundering investigation. This was confirmed by prosecutor Ruth Morcillo, who stated during Tuesday's session that the tribunal cannot issue a summons against her because 'she is not an expert' and this regulation does not apply in the inquisitorial system. The defense has reiterated that the witness's presence is crucial because the report by expert Antonio Lim, a key document for the prosecution, was generated based on her reports, despite her not being accredited as an accountant or having the necessary training. Vallarino stated that this appearance will demonstrate that the prosecution 'never had a concrete case,' as it has been built on police reports without financial or accounting backing to prove the alleged illegality of the construction company's funds. They also detailed that an official document No. 556 was issued in her name, retrieved by lawyer Rolando Rodríguez, who requested her appearance on January 30, 2026, and delivered to the National Directorate of Human Resources of the National Police the same day, meaning she was considered 'summoned,' but she did not appear.