Title:U.S. extradites Panama ex-President Martinelli

Former Panamanian President Ricardo Martinelli returned home on Monday to face political espionage and embezzlement charges after being extradited from the United States.

巴拿马前总统里卡多·马蒂内利星期一从美国引渡后回国面临政治间谍和贪污指控。

The Foreign Ministry said U.S. officials turned Mr. Martinelli over at Panama City's international airport after a plane carrying him from Miami landed.

外交部说，美国官员把马蒂内利先生从迈阿密起飞的飞机从迈阿密起飞后，在巴拿马城国际机场转过身。

U.S. State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert said in a statement that it is up to Panamanian courts to determine Mr. Martinelli's guilt. He had been jailed in Miami since his arrest at his home in June 2017.

美国国务院发言人海瑟·瑙特在一份声明中说，应由巴拿马法院裁定马蒂内利先生有罪。

The 66-year-old Martinelli, who was Panama's president from 2009 to 2014, is accused of embezzlement and illegally monitoring phone calls and other communications. He has denied the charges.

66岁的马蒂内利在2009年至2014年担任巴拿马总统，被控盗用并非法监控电话和其他通讯，但他否认了指控。

Ms. Nauert said Mr. Martinelli's extradition followed normal procedures established by the countries' bilateral extradition treaty. Mr. Martinelli had initially contested his extradition in the U.S., but dropped his appeals.

瑙特女士说，马蒂内利先生的引渡遵循两国双边引渡条约规定的正常程序，马蒂内利先生最初在美国对引渡提出异议，但撤销了他的上诉。

"He is returning because of a health problem,"  she said.  "His lawyers are almost certain that he can get bond."

“他由于健康问题而归来，”她说，“他的律师几乎确信他能够获得保证”。

Mr. Martinelli appeared handcuffed in photos shared by Panama's security ministry and was transported to Renacer prison, where former strongman Manuel Noriega, who died last year, had been held.

马蒂内利先生在巴拿马安全部共享的照片中戴手铐，被送往Renace监狱，该监狱去年死亡的前据点曼努埃尔·诺列加已被关押。

During a hearing with an investigating judge later Monday, the former president said he had heart problems, prostate cancer and glaucoma. Judge Jeronimo Mejia ordered that medical experts examine Mr. Martinelli to determine the severity of his conditions.

星期一晚些时候，在一次调查法官的听证会上，前总统说，他患有心脏病、前列腺癌和青光眼。法官下令让医学专家评估马蒂内利病情的严重性。