The plenary of Panama’s  Supreme has rejected an appeal for guarantees presented by the lawyers of the sons of former President Ricardo Martinelli,

A petition for the lifting of the electoral law for the brothers Ricardo Alberto and Luis Enrique Martinelli Linares was presented by the Special Anticorruption Prosecutor's Office on December 29, 2017, before the Electoral Tribunal (TE). The Martinelli Linares brothers enjoyed electoral privilege for participating in the internal elections of the Democratic Change Party (CD).

The brothers are free on bail in Miami, United States, after being arrested on November 20 by immigration authorities, having been illegal since their visas were revoked. In 2017. They are awaiting a December 27 hearing before a Migratory Court of Miami.  They are wanted in Panama to face corruption   and money laundering charges totaling dozens of millions of dollars