The presidential candidate for the Realizing Goals and Alliance parties, Ricardo Martinelli, at the beginning of his political campaign assured that he is innocent and said that Panama has a dictatorship.

“A year ago I warned that the powerful were going to do everything possible to remove me from the presidential race and yesterday it was consummated,” he stressed.

He said that “they have tried to violate justice, so that I cannot be elected by the people, a right that I have by law, I acquired it and they are going to try to take it away from me.”

Martinelli assured his followers gathered on the afternoon of this Saturday, February 3, in Santa Ana Park, where he launched his presidential campaign with his running mate, José Raúl Mulino.

“Be careful, they end up seeing me murdered” by order of President Laurentino Cortizo. “This fight is fighting until the end,” Martinelli insisted.

Martinelli explained that they have created a criminal case against him and that they want to remove his electoral immunity, which he began to have since February 3.

Martinelli’s statements come one day after the Second Criminal Chamber of the Supreme Court of Justice did not admit an appeal for cassation, which his defense presented.

Consequently, his sentence of more than 10 years in prison and the payment of a fine of more than 19 million dollars for money laundering was ratified.

Martinelli said that they have pulled all the strings to disqualify him to prevent him from becoming president of Panama again.

“I am innocent, so much so that if I were behind the ambulance this case would never have happened,” Martinelli insisted before some followers who cheered him.

He added that if they manage to disable him, all his support will be given to Mulino. “He is the only one prepared to take on that great challenge,” she said.

“Enough of lazy, lazy presidents who get up at noon when the majority of Panamanians have to get up early!” he added.

For his part, José Raúl Mulino, vice presidential candidate for Realizing Goals and Alliance, in his speech stated that they felt the need to return to politics and thanked Martinelli for inviting him to be part of that presidential project.

”Ricardo Martinelli, with the strength of that David-Panama train that you promised, the country will be connected based on the main objective, which is to restore hope and dignity because the Panamanian likes to have the money in his pocket that only you and your government had in this country,” said Mulino.

He stated that you just have to work, work and work to achieve it “but you have to know what you are working for and we are working for ordinary Panamanians, employment and an economy that will reach every home in this country.”

He assured that they will create a government where everyone feels included, and that means working with the best.

With RM and me, fat governments will end at the expense of a thin people.”

He mentioned that he has been walking for years and Panamanians complain about the lack of employment, security, “how is it possible that two governments have brought the people to this level of poverty.”