THE FORMER  Panama presidential candidate for The Democratic Change (CD) Party  is now, like the party’s founder and leader Ricardo Martinelli, behind bars.

José Domingo Arias, who is in preventive detention because of  donations made by the construction company Odebrecht to his election campaign, has been transferred to the El Renacer Prison in Balboa, temporary home of many former high rollers

Arias was picked as the CD candidate by ex-president Martinelli, who also selected his wife Marta Martinelli to run for vice-president, a move opponents said was an attempt to continue holding the reins of power.

Within hours  of the results with Juan Carlos Varela elected to lead the country, Martinelli denounced Arias for running an ineffectual campaign

Armando Fuentes, defense of Arias, is waiting for a writ of habeas corpus and a bail hearing his client. Arias was arrested at Tocumen International Airport while waiting to board a plane to Bogota.

He is being prosecuted for money laundering, with $16 million of the $21 million that his electoral campaign cost financed with Odebrecht funds, according to statements by his Brazilian publicist Monica Moura.

Arias claims to know nothing of the illegal donation.