Panama's top court rejected former President Ricardo Martinelli's appeal to annul a 10-year prison sentence, a court official said on Friday, casting doubt on the current presidential candidate's ability to run in the May election.
Martinelli was sentenced to a 128-month prison term last year for money laundering for his role in a case known as "New Business," which alleges that public funds were used to buy a media conglomerate and give him a majority stake.
Authorities have not issued a statement on his candidacy, but Panama's constitution bars from the presidency anyone condemned to a prison sentence of five years or more.
Martinelli, a multimillionaire supermarket magnate, held office from 2009 to 2014.
The ex-president and his lawyer did not immediately reply to a request for comment.
Martinelli on X this week said he would be "happy to" pass his votes to running mate Jose Raul Mulino if he is barred, arguing that his party would win under that scenario too.
The former president in 2018 spent about a year in prison on charges of political espionage during his administration, a case in which he was ultimately acquitted.
