An Electoral Court (TE) has lifted the criminal electoral jurisdiction of former president Ricardo Martinelli (2009-2014) for the Odebrecht case says an edict. edict published on the morning of  Wednesday, June 29.

The news comes the day after the DGI ordered an audit of Martinelli and the revelation that a million-dollar lawsuit against La Prensa by the former first lady netted only $3000 and that a challenge that Martinelli presented against the magistrate María Eugenia López had been rejected.

Martinelli had been granted the  electoral privilege due to the internal elections of the Realizing Goals (RM) party that took place April.

Martinelli is the president and legal representative of RM, a party recognized by the TE through Resolution No. 4 of March 24, 2021.

The former president's defense has two business days to file an appeal against the decision of the electoral court.

The preliminary hearing in the Odebrecht case is scheduled to take place between July 18 and August 5. The process tracks the multi-million dollar bribes paid by the Brazilian construction company in Panama and links 62 people, including former presidents Martinelli, and Juan Carlos Varela (2014-2019); as well as former ministers, lobbyists, and businessmen, among others.

Media outlets and civil rights activists have demanded that the Odebrecht hearing be televised.