Corruption and money laundering investigations in Panama and

In Panama, legal proceedings are ongoing against former officials regarding allegations of unjustified enrichment. Former Vice President José Gabriel Carrizo has challenged an audit claiming $1.9 million in unexplained wealth, while former DGI deputy director Maritza Ureña has been ordered into provisional detention following an audit involving $428,000 in unjustified funds.

In Uruguay, the ‘Operación Trazador’ investigation continues to expand. While the investigation initially targeted Jorge Gandini, director of the National Port Administration, regarding whether a business owned by his wife was used for money laundering by Pablo Leiva, new scrutiny has fallen on Montevideo councilman Gonzalo Gómez. Gómez admitted to the ‘error’ of hiring Leiva, claiming he was unaware of Leiva’s conviction for money laundering linked to drug trafficking and that the hire was based on a recommendation from Leiva’s son, Lucio Leiva.

The Partido Nacional’s Political Affairs Commission has reiterated that the situation is a matter of ‘enorme gravedad’ (enormous gravity), recommending that the Ethics Commission investigate and suggesting Gómez take a leave of absence from party leadership. Meanwhile, an anonymous complaint has been filed with the Junta de Transparencia y Ética Pública (Jutep) against Gandini concerning his wife’s collection center and its potential links to the identified money laundering circuit.