The Electoral Tribunal (TE), through Resolution No. 11 of January 17, 2022, published in the Electoral Bulletin 4970-B, article 260 of the Electoral Code, modified by Law 247 of October 22, 2021, establishes that the Criminal electoral jurisdiction will be in force for the presidents, vice presidents, secretaries and general undersecretaries of the legally constituted parties.
With this, the TE confirms that former president Ricardo Martinelli Berrocal and current president of the Realizing Goals party, enjoys electoral criminal jurisdiction as of this Friday, January 28, the date on which the campaign period of his group begins, according to the Regulation of Elections and Electoral Calendar to elect the board of directors of the Executive Secretariats of Youth and Women, and until the last proclamation of the event is executed.
This certification of the Electoral Court was presented this Friday, the day on which the preliminary hearing of the “New Business” case resumes, in which former President Martinelli is on trial for the purchase of Grupo Epasa with possible State funds.
This Thursday, the third criminal judge, Baloisa Marquínez, denied Martinelli’s defense an appeal for annulment to suspend this preliminary hearing, stating that he did not have electoral jurisdiction this Thursday because the internal campaign of his group began this Friday, January 28.
During this second day of hearing, the judge decreed a 20-minute recess to review the document issued by the Electoral Tribunal.
Ricardo Martinelli did not attend the first day of the hearing in the “New Business” case, since he was incapacitated, as reported by his lawyer, Ronier Ortíz, who also indicated that his client would be participating virtually.
Luis Eduardo Camacho, expressed that with this they are not claiming special laws for Ricardo Martinelli, they just want their rights to be respected.
On the other hand, the former Minister of Labor, Alma Cortés, asserted that Judge Marquínez violated several laws in the hearing held on Thursday, for this reason, they presented this certification approved by the TE on the electoral jurisdiction that protects Martinelli.
