On Tuesday, May 23, the trial of former Panamanian President Ricardo Martinelli began in a Panamanian court. He is accused of money laundering and corruption.

Martinelli, along with 14 other co-defendants, is accused of having bought with public money in 2010 the majority of the shares of the Editora Panama America press group, owner of the eponymous daily as well as the popular newspapers Critica and Dia à Dia. He is also indicted in another case of bribery as part of the sprawling corruption case against several heads of state and governments in South America by the Brazilian construction group, Odebrecht. This trial could be an obstacle to his candidacy in 2024 for a new mandate at the head of the country.