The United States has banned former Panamanian President Juan Carlos Varela Rodriguez from entering the country “due to his involvement in significant corruption” while in office.
The announcement, made by Secretary of State Antony Blinken, accuses Varela of accepting bribes in exchange for granting government contracts.
“This designation reaffirms the commitment of the United States to combat endemic corruption in Panama,” Blinken said in his statement.
“It is our hope that today’s action will prompt Panama’s elected representatives and authorities to tackle entrenched corruption and empower all those who stand up for the rule of law.”
Varela is one of two Panamanian presidents charged with money laundering in the long-running Odebrecht scandal, which embroiled politicians in nearly a dozen Latin American countries.
Named for the Brazilian construction firm at the heart of the case, the Odebrecht scandal involved officials allegedly collecting bribes as they doled out major public works contracts.
Original from www.aljazeera.com