Panama’s Ricardo Martinelli vows to run for presidency despite recent money-laundering conviction

By ALMA SOLIS and MANUEL RUEDA
Associated Press

PANAMA CITY, Panama (AP) — A former Panamanian president convicted of money laundering is defiantly proclaiming his intention to run in the upcoming presidential election despite facing a possible ban on seeking office. Ricardo Martinelli was officially presented as the candidate of the Realizing Goals Party at a rally Saturday in Panama City. In a speech, he said he was not guilty of any crimes and accused authorities of persecuting him as the country gets ready to hold elections May 5. In July, he was sentenced to 10 years in prison for money laundering. Panama’s constitution bans anyone with a conviction carrying a prison sentence of five or more years from running for office. The nation’s electoral tribunal will now have to rule whether Martinelli is eligible to run.