Panamanian court postpones Odebrecht trial.
Panamanian court suspends Odebrecht case, reigniting criticism of the slow pace and lack of punishment.
247 - Panama's justice system has once again postponed the trial in the Odebrecht case, considered the biggest corruption scandal in the country's history. The hearing, which was scheduled for November 11, 2025, has been rescheduled for January 12, 2026, citing the authorities' inability to locate former president Ricardo Martinelli (2009–2014), who is currently in exile in Colombia. This information comes from the news agency... Prensa Latina.
"Mocking Panamanian justice"
Lawyer and political analyst Rodrigo Noriega described the postponement as "a mockery of Panamanian justice and citizens." In an interview with TVN, he stated that Martinelli "does not have the courage, the bravery, the decency, and the civic-mindedness to appear before Panamanian justice," even after accusing former Vice President José Gabriel Carrizo (2019–2024) of alleged crimes.
Noriega also highlighted that the Panamanian ambassador to Colombia, Mario Boyd — brother of the Minister of Health, Fernando Boyd — is a personal friend of the former governor. According to him, the State should pressure Colombian authorities to guarantee Martinelli's return to the country.
Possible political pact
According to the report, the jurist also stated that there are indications of an agreement between the current president of Panama, José Raúl Mulino, and Martinelli, which, in his words, "regrettably means impunity." He demanded that the Supreme Court of Justice act firmly in the proceedings involving the former president and other defendants, such as Juan Carlos Varela (2014–2019) and Martinelli's sons, both members of the Central American Parliament (Parlacen).
Bribery and judicial delays
Martinelli is accused of money laundering in a scheme that, according to the Public Prosecutor's Office, involved more than 96 million dollars in bribes paid by the Brazilian construction company Odebrecht between 2009 and 2014, in exchange for public contracts.
Judge Baloisa Marquínez, of the First Criminal Case Liquidation Court, issued a notice this year ordering Martinelli to appear in court within 40 days—a deadline that ends on December 15. If he fails to do so, the proceedings will be suspended until he is located.
Three postponements in a row
The judge justified the new delay by claiming that the requested legal assistance from Brazil and Peru for the hearing of witnesses had not yet been received. This same reason had already led to the suspension of the proceedings in January of this year, at the request of defense lawyers and anti-corruption prosecutor Ruth Morcillo. Since 2024, the judge has rescheduled the trial three times, always under procedural pretexts.
