On Monday, February 27  the day that former president Ricardo Martinelli formalized his bid for re-election, The United States ambassador to Panama, Mari Carmen Aponte spoke with TVN Noticias on various topics including the banning of Martinelli from the US for significant corruption.

Aponte said Secretary of State Anthony Blinken 's appointment is aimed at keeping corrupt people out of the United States, so he wants to send clear messages that corruption undermines democracy.

“ He was bribed and improperly awarded contracts during the term of his presidency. The United States cares a lot and wants to send clear messages. This is a way to send those messages and keep people who are corrupt out of the US border,” she said.

She was questioned about the way in which relations would be affected if a person from the banned list comes to power, since the former president presented his candidacy for the Presidency for the Realizando Metas party, and is emerging as one of the strongest candidates for the elections of 2024.