The Citizen Freedom Foundation issued a statement on Monday, May 12, describing the recent departure from the country of former President Ricardo Martinelli, convicted of money laundering, as a “mockery of justice” and an “erosion of democracy.” Martinelli received a safe-conduct permit from the administration of President José Raúl Mulino, allowing him to travel to Colombia, where he was granted political asylum.

The organization denounced the Panamanian Foreign Ministry’s actions as a violation of the principle of legality and a mockery of the very purpose of the asylum institution.

According to a statement from the foundation, the safe-conduct permit was issued in an opaque manner and without accountability, which represents alarming action by the government.

He also harshly criticized the Colombian government’s decision to grant asylum to Martinelli, stating that this act discredits the Panamanian judicial system and ignores the fact that the former president has been convicted of corruption.

“It is absolutely unacceptable for a sister country to discredit our institutions in this way,” they said.

He also stressed that what happened affects the country’s credibility and jeopardizes emblematic cases still pending, such as the Odebrecht scandal.

Given the situation, the foundation demanded that the Public Ministry immediately issue a red alert to Interpol to prevent Martinelli from using asylum as a way to evade Panamanian justice.

“Ricardo Martinelli has made a fool of everyone, with the complicity of the national government,” the statement concludes.