(Washington) The United States banned former Panamanian President Juan Carlos Varela from accessing their territory on Thursday, accused of “participation in considerable corruption”, announced the head of American diplomacy in a press release.
“As vice-president (2009-2014, editor’s note) then president (2014-2019), Varela accepted bribes in exchange for the irregular awarding of government contracts”, declared Antony Blinken, quoted in a communicated.
Juan Carlos Varela and his predecessor as president of Panama, Ricardo Martinelli, have been prosecuted since last year in a case of alleged laundering of bribes paid by the Brazilian construction company Odebrecht.
According to Panamanian justice, MM. Martinelli and Varela allegedly received money from Odebrecht through shell companies and overseas accounts, in a scandal that has also affected other Latin American leaders.
Juan Carlos Varela, whose party is accused of receiving $10 million from Odebrecht, said he was innocent.