Panama: Italian Scandal Rocks Martinelli Government · Global Voices
Ariel Moreno

The arrest of Italian citizen Valter Lavitola has made the news around the world due to his alleged links [es] to a prostitution ring and bribes allegedly paid to former Italian prime minister, Silvio Berlusconi. To Panamanians, however, Valter Lavitola is a familiar face. In December 2011, former presidential candidate Balbina Herrera leaked emails to various media outlets which purportedly linked Panamanian president, Ricardo Martinelli, with the Italian's illicit activities, implicating him in a radars and helicopters overpayment scandal.
Telemetro [es] posted the following details on its site:
Adicionalmente, Herrera presentó una serie de intercambios de correos electrónicos entre el italiano Walter Lavítola y Adolfo De Obarrio, secretario privado del presidente Ricardo Martinelli. Las misivas reflejan que el italiano, quien mantiene una orden de detención en su país, recibe custodia del Servicio Protección Institucional (SPI). También hay mensajes que suponen una comunicación entre Lavítola y la cuenta de correo electrónico del propio presidente Martinelli.
Martinelli himself has confronted the accusations, attributing them to evil intentions on the part of of the media, and, as has become customary in his presidential speeches, evoking the “malevolent souls” who wish Panama the worst. In his blog, Pma507pty [es], Erick Simpson Aguilar recalls Martinelli's speech:
“Ya llego la carta de Italia y ojala todos los medios, todas aquellas personas que con mucho morbo, y con mucha mala intención desinformaron todo lo que pasaron sobre los radares y todas las cosas en Italia, que le den la misma prominencia ustedes los medios a eso, que le den la misma prominencia que le dieron a todos los detractores que tanto daño hicieron, porque como no pueden criticar al individuo por las obras que se hacen, critican los precios de los proyectos, pero que me digan dónde hay algo aquí indebido para agarrar y meterlo preso. Ojala todas esas almas malévolas y perversas que lo único que desean es el mal para Panamá sepan recapacitar que cometieron un error”. El Presidente Ricardo Martinelli tratando de justificar el caso del supuesto sobreprecio millonario en detrimento de Panamá, en la compra realizada a la investigada empresa italiana Finmeccanica, la cual  vendió a Panamá 6 helicópteros, 19 radares y 1 mapa digital por unos $250 millones.
La Prensa [es] has put up a video of the president's statements on the matter:
The accusations and criticisms reached a roadblock due to lack of evidence, and, little by little, the Panamanian public forgot the name Valter Lavitola. However, on April 16, 2012, with Lavitola's arrest at the Rome airport, Panama was in the spotlight again, and, inevitably, so was the current government. Moreover, other members of the government are also now facing accusations of taking bribes during tendering for contracts to build prisons, as Terra reports on its site [es]:
En la lista de beneficiarios de sobornos figuran, además del presidente Martinelli, la ministra de Justicia panameña, Roxana Méndez, y otras figuras políticas, sostiene la fiscalía.
“Parte del dinero para el presidente panameño fue entregado en un maletín”, asegura la acusación, que precisa que se hicieron dos entregas de 530.000 euros y 140.000 euros.
Among the names of those accused by the prosecutor of accepting bribes, appears that of president Martinelli; the Panamanian Justice Minister, Roxana Mendez, and other political figures.
“Part of the money for the Panamanian president was delivered in a suitcase,” the accusation states, specifying that there were two payments of 530,000 euros and 140,000 euros each.
The Italian newspaper Corriere [it] details how Lavitola was treated as a guest of honour in Panama, including being transported in official vehicles and provided with an escort, all whilst facing accusations in Italy. In addition, it provides in-depth coverage of the alleged corruption in which the Panamanian government became embroiled.
There was strong reaction to the news on social networking sites. From his Twitter account (@rmartinelli) [es], the Panamanian president, denied that there were any prisons being built by any Italian companies:
En Panamá ninguna empresa italiana está construyendo ni una cárcel.
Amed Arosemena (@AmedArosemena) [es] worries about how the Panamanian justice system will appear in the eyes of the world once the all wrongdoing in the Lavitola case comes to light:
#MePregunto [es] Como queda la Justicia Panameña si en Italia llegan a destapar las bellezas de Lavitola en Panamá?? Mejor sera cerrar la Procu!
Victor Bosch (@BoschVictor) [es] is of the view that the Lavitola case is seriously hurting the country's image:
Que daña mas la imagen del Pais, indígenas protegiendo sus recursos o publicaciones Italianas x caso Lavitola, mucha gente debe estar cagada
Alcides Batista (@abatista15) [es] is also indignant at the apparent impunity with which the case has unfolded:
Es increíble ver como en Italia se llevan 2 procesos a Lavitola, 1 por sobornos a Panameños!!! Y Acá ni siquiera motivos para investigar!!
But for some, like Virgilio Hurtado (@HurtadoVirgilio) [es], the issue has been rather exaggerated, to the point of seeming like something out of a novel. Noting the similarity with two other cases in which suitcases stuffed with money were also involved, she writes:
Los maletines de dinero son como objetos de utileria en la novela política: CEMIS, MURCIA y caso LAVITOLA. Disculpen pero no soy novelero.!
Carlos Pasquini (@pasquinocarlos) [es] also plays down the importance of the case, pointing out that the problems which matter to him are those concerning the day to day life of the Panamanian people:
A mi lo de Lavitola no me da ni picazon. Quiero ver como avanza el metro, expansion de corredores, que haya mas metrobuses
Thus, while some consider the issue to be the height of corruption by the current government, others view it as an issue of little practical importance for Panama. What is certain, is that the coming days will bring some degree of elucidation. At least, this is what the Panamanians are hoping.