Washington, DC - On June 11, 2018, pursuant to the extradition treaty between the United States of America and the Republic of Panama, the United States extradited the former President of Panama Ricardo Martinelli to face criminal charges in Panama.

Mr. Martinelli was arrested in Miami on June 12, 2017 based on an extradition request from the Panamanian government. His case followed the normal procedure for extradition governed by the bilateral treaty and U.S. law and was handled in accordance with applicable legal procedures throughout the process.

This case was certified to the State Department, which makes the final decision whether to surrender an individual to the requesting government. It is for Panamanian courts to determine Mr. Martinelli’s guilt or innocence on the charges for which he was extradited.