Former president Ricardo Martinelli filed a criminal complaint in the National Assembly on Wednesday to remove the president of the  Supreme Court María Eugenia López Arias from her position as a judge.

The move comes in the midst of growing judicial tensions, at the same time the Criminal Chamber of the Supreme Court rejected as inadmissible the recusal incident presented by Martinelli's defense lawyer against the same judge.

The appeal sought to reverse the decision of the Superior Liquidation Court of October 24, which confirmed the conviction of the former president for money laundering in the New Business case, which was issued last July by the Second Liquidation Court of criminal cases.

The New Business case refers to the basket company that was used to collect funds from state contracts handled irregularly for the purchase of the Epasa publishing group.

Along with Martinelli, four other people were also convicted and received sentences of between 60 and 96 months in prison, for concealing illicit money coming from State funds.