The Public Ministry of Guatemala reported this Tuesday, May 25, that the Fifth Court of Criminal Sentencing, Drug Trafficking and Crimes against the Environment has authorized the extradition of Luis Enrique Martinelli to the United States.

"Following the request of the International Affairs Unit of the Public Ministry, the Fifth Court of Criminal Sentencing, Drug Trafficking and Crimes against the Environment notified that the formal extradition of Luis Enrique Martinelli Linares was authorized," said the Guatemalan Public Ministry.

It adds that Luis Enrique Martinelli Linares, son of former Panamanian president Ricardo Martinelli (2009-2014), is being indicted for his possible participation in charges of conspiracy to commit money laundering, implicating a specific illegal activity; conspiracy to commit money laundering; money laundering; and complicity and instigation.

In addition, the Court ordered the seizure of the property seized from Luis Enrique Martinelli Linares at the time of his arrest, so that they remain at the disposal of the Public Ministry, so that it can carry out the investigations it deems pertinent, and after they have been exhausted, they may be delivered to whoever claims them and proves to be the owner of them, or delivers them to the requesting country, if so requested for their own investigation.

The authorization of the extradition to the United States is given after the Court rejected an appeal of unconstitutionality presented by one of the lawyers and that was pending, and if there is no amparo or other legal resource that prevents the extradition, it is expected that the Guatemalan Foreign Ministry be notified to proceed with the coordination with the United States for the transfer of Luis Enrique Martinelli.

After knowing the decision of the Fifth Criminal Sentencing Court, former President Ricardo Martinelli Berrocal, reacted through his Twitter account questioning that the extradition of his son has been authorized without starting a hearing to discuss the issue, which he classified as a violation.

Currently Luis Enrique Martinelli Linares and his brother Ricardo Alberto remain in preventive detention in the Mariscal Zavala Military Base jail, after they were captured on Monday, July 6, 2020 at the La Aurora Airport in Guatemala, where they would take a flight with an alleged destination. to Panama.

It is worth mentioning that in the case of Ricardo Alberto Martinelli Linares, which is in charge of the Third Criminal Sentencing Court, an amparo is pending before the Supreme Court of Justice of Guatemala, which prevents the extradition process from being known. of the same.

The arrest of both was carried out due to an extradition order issued by the United States, for their alleged participation in a massive bribery scheme and money laundering from the Brazilian construction company Odebrecht.

As detailed by the Department of Justice, both are singled out for participating as intermediaries for the payment of $ 28 million in bribes to a high-ranking official of the Government of Panama, who has a link with both defendants.