Nicaragua Grants Asylum to Ricardo Martinelli

The Government of Nicaragua announced on Wednesday its decision to grant asylum to former Panamanian President Ricardo Alberto Martinelli Berrocal.

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The Nicaraguan Ministry of Foreign Affairs notified its Panamanian counterpart in an official communiqué the decision based on the 1928 Asylum Convention and the 1933 Political Asylum Convention.

It recognizes that "asylum is an institution of a humanitarian nature and that all persons may be under its protection, without distinction of nationality."

The text stated that "this Ministry transmits that former President Ricardo Martinelli requested asylum in the Embassy of the Republic of Nicaragua in Panama, because he considers himself persecuted for political reasons and his life, physical integrity and security are at imminent risk."

The tweet reads, "Nicaragua granted asylum to former Panamanian President Ricardo Martinelli on Wednesday, February 7, days after he lost his last appeal to overturn an almost 11-year prison sentence for money laundering."

The Nicaraguan Foreign Ministry requested the Panamanian government to provide all the necessary assurances to guarantee Martinelli's departure and humanitarian transfer to Nicaragua.

It reiterated to the "Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Panama the expressions of its consideration."

Martinelli was the 36th president of Panama between 2009 and 2014 for the Panameñista Party.