Reported by Tico Times

(Excerpt shared below. To read full report, go to: https://ticotimes.net/2026/01/12/trial-begins-in-panama-over-alleged-odebrecht-bribe-laundering)

Former Panamanian president Ricardo Martinelli, now in asylum in Colombia, and around 20 other defendants went on trial Monday in Panama on accusations of money laundering linked to bribes paid by Brazilian construction giant Odebrecht. Odebrecht pleaded guilty in 2016 in a U.S. court to paying more than $788 million in kickbacks, mainly across Latin America. 

In Panama, the company admitted paying $59 million in bribes to secure contracts during Martinelli’s administration for projects including the Metro, a modern coastal roadway in the capital, and the expansion of the airport.

The anti-corruption prosecutor, Ruth Morcillo, said the Public Ministry was prepared to present evidence to support convictions for those charged with laundering. Martinelli, who faces a possible 12-year prison sentence in this case, is attending the proceedings virtually. He sought asylum in Colombia in 2025 to avoid arrest after receiving a nearly 11-year sentence in a separate money-laundering case.