The third judge liquidating criminal cases of the First Judicial Circuit, Baloísa Marquínez, ordered the trial of the former President of Panama, Ricardo Martinelli, for the alleged commission of a crime against the economic order in the form of money laundering in the “New Business” case.

In a statement from the Judicial Branch, it was indicated that "it is important to highlight that the Third Settlement Court for Criminal Cases issued the writ of summons to trial No. 23 of December 9, 2022, within the term established by law, to issue the qualification of the legal merit of this criminal proceeding.” 

The main hearing date was set from April 17 to 28, 2023, and as an alternate date from May 23 to June 5, 2023, both hearings at 9:00 a.m. A public defender from the Defense Institute was appointed in the event that the private technical defense of the former President does not appear.

Judge Marquínez, after examining the summary, stated that the procedural records incorporated established the existence of precedent crimes that prove that the investigated funds had an illegal origin.

 Likewise, the court established the link between the former President of the Republic and the crime of money laundering.

Judge Baloísa Marquínez ordered in the resolution, to deny an annulment incident for violation of the electoral criminal jurisdiction, which had been presented by the private technical defense.