Colombia Grants Asylum to Former Panamanian President Ricardo Martinelli

Former Panamanian President Ricardo Martinelli, convicted of money laundering, has received asylum in Colombia after a year of seeking refuge in Nicaragua's embassy. His controversial conviction is seen as politically motivated.

The Colombian government announced on Saturday that it has granted asylum to Ricardo Martinelli, a former president of Panama who had been living in the Nicaraguan embassy in Panama City for over a year. This move comes as a result of Martinelli’s efforts to evade a prison sentence linked to a money-laundering conviction. According to a statement from Colombia’s Foreign Ministry, arrangements were made for Martinelli to travel from the embassy to a local airport in a diplomatic vehicle before departing for Bogotá.

The 73-year-old Martinelli, who served as Panama’s leader from 2009 to 2014, expressed on social media that he had arrived in Colombia and was recognized as a political refugee. His legal troubles began when he was convicted in 2023 on money laundering charges tied to the procurement of funds from government contractors to purchase a publishing house in 2010. The ruling handed Martinelli a 10-year prison sentence along with a $19 million fine, a decision that was later upheld by Panama’s Supreme Court.

Martinelli has maintained that the charges against him were driven by political motivations. Following Nicaragua's earlier decision to provide him asylum last year, he took refuge in their embassy, bringing with him minimal belongings, including his dog, Bruno. Initially contemplating a run in Panama’s May 2024 presidential elections from within the embassy, he was subsequently disqualified by Panama’s electoral tribunal due to his legal issues. His running mate, José Raúl Mulino, took the lead in the campaign, drawing on Martinelli's presidential accomplishments; Mulino ultimately won the election, with Martinelli offering support from his diplomatic sanctuary.

Mike Ives, a reporter for The Times based in Seoul, covers international breaking news from around the world.