EX PRESIDENT Ricardo Martinelli  is recovering from minor heart surgery in a Miami hospital  necessitated because of “political persecution” according to  the CD Party spin master Eduardo Camacho.

Camacho said that  Martinelli and his family have been subjected to a stress state because of   “political persecution" by the current government.

Camacho said  the former head of state is recovering after surgery and  vascular stent angioplasty in the University  of Miami, Hospital.

He said that currently the former president is not charged by different processes followed in the Supreme Court, however, the judges of the Supreme Court acting on these processes have violated constitutional guarantees and laws
Camacho said that " All surveys praise him (Martinelli) as a person and as a leader of the opposition, like it or not my friend President, Juan Carlos Varela".

Martinelli left Panama on January 28, 2015, the same day the Court accepted the first of six criminal cases against him for alleged corruption. He is currently facing a dozen cases, including illegal surveillance of  150 opposition politicians, journalists, businessmen and judges which, if found guilty could see him facing up to 20 years in jail. He is also facing trial on corruption and embezzlement charges involving scores of millions of dollars.

In a video transmitted from the hospital. He is seen on a trolley with a doctor beside him.

He  is seen as thumbing his nose at the Panama judicial sytem and recently tweeted a photo of himself and Camacho drinking coffee outside a Miami Starbucks while the court moves to extradite him.