In September of 2018, José Luis Penagos Hernández learned that Zulay’s lawyer Rafael Araúz, along with Zulay Rodríguez and Álvaro Ernesto Testa (Zulay’s husband) received the 66 kilos of gold from the National Customs Authority, and kept it for themselves to cover the fees, which according to them had not been paid by Penagos.  66 kilos of gold today is approximately 5 million dollars.

Diana Clemencia Ríos Cardona reported that her husband (José Luis Penagos Hernández) was murdered on February 4, 2021 and presented the death certificate to the media.  The widow was accompanied by David Penagos (son of the businessman), who said that the claim is for 65 kilos of gold valued at the time at 4 million dollars.  After Penagos' death, the family filed a criminal complaint with the Public Ministry for the theft of the gold.  According to the complaint, the merchant, Penagos Hernández, signed a power of attorney that was later used by lawyers to simulate a debt for professional fees. 

The son of the Mexican businessman indicated that among the elements presented to the Panamanian authorities are audios of conversations between his father and Zulay Rodríguez.  After this, the PRD deputy Zulay Rodríguez called a conference, which took place in the Blue Room of the National Assembly. There she described what was said by the relatives of the Mexican goldsmith as “falsehoods” and announced that she would file legal action against them.  “I am going to prove that all this is false, that they have grabbed a case by the hair to falsely involve me,” she added.  The court process with Mr. Hernández lasted nine months, until it was dismissed by the Panamanian courts for the crime of money laundering from drug trafficking. 

Diana Clemencia Ríos Cardona, the widow, along with David Penagos, the son, began court proceedings:  Zulay Rodríguez is to be charged for alleged crimes against economic assets, in the modality of money laundering, illicit association to commit a crime, and against the administration of justice to the detriment of José Luis Penagos Hernández (RIP) related to some gold bars.   But, Representative Zulay Rodríguez has reiterated on several occasions that this litigation has already been won in the civil courts and that the accusation is totally false.

Rodríguez explained after that this is a case from 2011, which she litigated in 2018, and won “all the rulings in court.” Rodríguez not only considers herself to be “innocent” but also describes it as “political persecution” from the highest levels of power to remove her from the presidential race for being among the favorites in the polls. A similar situation, as she said, to the case of former president Ricardo Martinelli, disqualified from participating in the May 5 elections.  “This is a hoax and it is a lie.”  Although this situation is ongoing, and will not be silenced until at least after May 5th, we will wrap up the story, Part 3 of the Zulay Rodríguez story tomorrow.  We will also look at the other candidates in the race for Panama's President May 5th 2024 in the coming weeks.