Scores of CD Party supporters were bused to the Electoral Tribunal in Ancon on Tuesday, April 9 but Ricardo Martinelli the  man they were waiting to cheer was a no- show.

The Ministry of Government (Mingob) , through the Directorate General of the Penitentiary System, reported that the transfer of  Martinelli , detained in El Renacer prison, to the hearing to challenge his candidacies for mayor and deputies was not requested.

 In a statement, the Mingob explains that the Penitentiary System received on the morning of a note from the Fifth Electoral Court, in which the general director is notified about the holding of a hearing for Martinelli Berrocal, “ However,  his transfer was is not requested for his presence at the hearing. "

"In communication via email, the Penitentiary System was informed that the presence of the inmate was not required in order to hold the hearing," the press release adds. 

The Mingob recalled that Article 40 of Executive Decree 393 of August 25, 2005, which regulates the Panamanian Penitentiary System, establishes that it can only carry out transfers of persons deprived of liberty through the order of judicial authority, with a minimum advance of 72 days. hours, except in urgent need of the immediate appearance of the person.

Prior to the start of the hearing in the Fifth Electoral Court predictably, the defense of the former president denounced that the authorities did not authorize the transfer of Martinelli. 

The edict that established the hearing date for the challenges was posted on the TE website on April 2, a document that was signed by Judge Elvia María Rengifo and the court secretary Mónica Alejandra Manzanares Valenzuela. 

The judge had also informed that this process would be done with or without the presence of the challenged.