Ex-president  Ricardo Martinelli after again playing his near-death health card as he plans to run in a stressful election failed in his latest attempt to exit the El Renacer prison.

The  Criminal Chamber of the Supreme Court of Justice, chaired by the magistrate of the Supreme Court, José Ayú Prado, confirmed on Monday, April 8, the decision of the Court of Appeals, that last week declared legal the preventive detention of  Martinelli and denied habeas corpus.

 The decision was taken after almost two hours of deliberation, Ayú Prado was accompanied by magistrates Wilfredo Sáenz, substitute for Harry Díaz, and Luis Carrasco, substitute for Jerónimo Mejía.

On April 4, the court -composed of by judges Carlos Rivas (president), Geovanni Antinori and Mauricio Marín- unanimously considered that Martinelli must remain in custody -as already ordered by the plenary of the Supreme Court on December 21. of 2015- until the process that is followed by the alleged unauthorized interception of communications ends.

Wiretapping victims T, through their lawyer, requested that the appeal be rejected and detention continued. They pointed out that it is not true what Martinelli's defense alleges, that his health would be in danger. 

"It is false that the victims want to end the life of the defendant," said lawyer Carlos Herrera Delgado. 

Martinelli had the opportunity to intervene and launched into an impassioned harangue including an attack on his “persecutors”.  He said that both the prosecution and the complainants have "distorted" the case and that he is the first interested party to continue the hearings to demonstrate "the farce they have set me up."

Sudden death
He also said that the prosecutor's office "wisely" omitted part of the Forensic Medicine report in which it is alleged that the patient does not show optimal blood pressure and this could "lead to a serious complication such as sudden death."

"I have half my heart stopped, nobody seems to care that my heart is suffering and my heart is bad," he said in the audience room. 

According to Martinelli, he obtained recent information that a party was held in the Judicial Branch and a "person died dancing".

"Here there are a number of plaintiffs who want to get my money, they want me not to be a candidate, because tomorrow a survey will come out in which I will go 25 points up" from my closest opponent,” he said.

Before closing, Martinelli asked the court "from the depths of my soul" to declare his detention illegal. After a two- hour deliberation, the court s gave him the thumbs down and he will remain in El Renacer prison at least until his trial ends.