On the same day, the Judicial Branch rejected former President Martinelli's two protections of constitutional guarantees with the same purpose: to avoid the 128-month prison sentence imposed on him last July for money laundering in the New Business case.

In the morning the general secretariat of the Supreme Court of Justice (CSJ) released Edict 108 in which the parties are informed that the plenary session, under the presentation of Judge Olmedo Arrocha, rejected a protection of guarantees that were presented by Shirley Castañedas, from Martinelli's team of lawyers. Castañeda complained because the Superior Court for the Settlement of Criminal Cases granted 15 days to all defense lawyers to present the appeal, when - according to her - it should have been an individual period for each defender. In the afternoon the First Superior Court announced the non-admission of another protection from Martinelli presented by his lawyer Carlos Carrillo, against the criminal judge Baloisa Marquínez, for having issued a conviction against the former president, on July 17. That ruling was confirmed on October 24, by the Superior Liquidation Court.

The ruling was signed by judges Lilianne Ducruet, Miguel Espino, and Juan Carlos Tatis, and although it was communicated this Thursday, it had been adopted the day before (January 31).

With these two there are now 14 appeals presented by the former president about the conviction of New Business.

Last July, Judge Marquínez sentenced Martinelli to 128 months in prison and a fine of $19.2 million. That decision was confirmed last October by the Superior Court for Settlement of Criminal Cases.

She also ordered the confiscation of 60% of the shares of Editora Panamá América, SA (Epasa), whose beneficiary is Martinelli.

In the Criminal Chamber of the Court, there is an appeal by Martinelli, against the conviction. It has not yet been announced whether the appeal is admitted or not.