The International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol) has issued a Red Notice for Panamanian citizen Saúl Méndez Rodríguez, who is wanted by Panamanian authorities in connection with alleged criminal offenses, according to information released by Panama’s National Police.
According to the authorities, Méndez is being investigated for the alleged crimes of aggravated fraud, criminal association and document forgery. The request was processed by Panama’s Second Specialized Prosecutor’s Office Against Organized Crime through the country’s Interpol Central Office as part of an ongoing investigation.
Authorities stated that the investigation involves an alleged financial fraud scheme that reportedly affected several individuals and entities. The case is also connected to allegations involving former workers, while Panama’s Public Prosecutor’s Office has previously linked Méndez to investigations involving alleged money laundering, document falsification, criminal association and aggravated fraud.
The Red Notice alerts Interpol’s member countries that Méndez is wanted by Panama. According to Interpol, however, a Red Notice is not an international arrest warrant. It is a request to law-enforcement authorities worldwide to locate and provisionally detain a person pending extradition, surrender or similar judicial proceedings, subject to each country’s domestic laws.
The measure was implemented following the departure of Méndez from Bolivia, a nation where he had previously enjoyed asylum protection. Bolivian officials pointed out that his exit from the country was entirely voluntary, which meant the safeguards linked to his asylum status automatically lapsed the moment he left.
Méndez, who has served as secretary general of the National Single Union of Construction and Similar Workers (Suntracs), had sought protection in Bolivia while facing legal proceedings in Panama. He had maintained that he was the target of political persecution, an allegation rejected by the Panamanian government.
The Panamanian authorities had previously issued an arrest and detention order against Méndez in connection with the investigation. Following confirmation of his departure from Bolivia, the authorities moved forward with the request for the international alert.
The investigation remains open, and the accusations directed at Méndez have not yet crystallized into definitive verdicts. The Red Notice aims to foster global cooperation in tracking him down and, where appropriate, launching the judicial processes necessary for his potential extradition to Panama.
Source: Eco TV Panamá — Eco TV Panamá article
