Panama City (AFP) – Former Panama president Ricardo Martinelli announced his arrival on Saturday in Colombia, where he has been granted asylum after spending 15 months at the Nicaraguan embassy to avoid a prison sentence for money laundering.

The Panama government "granted the necessary safe conduct" for the "safe departure of the asylum seeker, Panamanian citizen Ricardo Alberto Martinelli Berrocal" to Colombia, which granted him asylum, Panama's foreign ministry said in a statement.

Martinelli posted a photo of himself on Instagram late Saturday, writing that he was "happy and content" to be in the Colombian capital Bogota.

Martinelli, an ally of right-wing President Jose Raul Mulino, was sentenced to almost 11 years in prison in 2023 for money laundering, though he claims he is the victim of political persecution.

The 73-year-old supermarket tycoon, who was president from 2009 to 2014, was convicted of using stolen public money to buy a stake in a publishing house.

He took refuge in the Nicaraguan embassy in February 2024, shortly before an arrest warrant was issued for him.

Polls showed Martinelli ahead in the May 2024 presidential elections, but he was disqualified and replaced by running mate Jose Raul Mulino, who then granted Martinelli safe passage to Nicaragua in March.

The Nicaraguan government later refused to allow Martinelli to travel there, as the Panamanian government could not guarantee the former president did not have an international arrest warrant from Interpol.