The Supreme Court of Panama rejected former Panama president Ricardo Martinelli’s appeal submission for his money laundry conviction on Friday, to which Martinelli responded by informing his followers on X (formerly Twitter) that he would be running alongside his running mate José Raúl Mulino for this year’s May election, despite the court’s ruling.

Martinelli was president of Panama in 2009 and 2014. In 2015, the Panama Electoral Tribunal lifted prosecution immunity granted to presidents in the country, allowing a corruption investigation to begin. In 2018, the US extradited Martinelli to Panama for illegal surveillance claims.

Last year, Martinelli was sentenced to 128 months in prison and a $19 million fine for money laundering in the 2017 case now coined as “New Business.” New Business was the name of the shell company used by Martinelli to purchase local media group Epasa via public funds. Under the New Business account, companies that had signed lucrative government bids would deposit money. Martinelli used this money to purchase the media group.

According to the Constitution of Panama, one who is convicted of a crime and sentenced to five years or more of imprisonment cannot run for president. Martinelli, on X, re-affirmed his innocence, claiming he is being politically prosecuted.

With the appeal rejected, the case is considered closed. In a matter of days, the court’s expected official notice of the appeal will be delivered to the presiding judge who sentenced Martinelli, who will then notify the National Police of the arrest.

Martinelli’s conviction follows his son’s arrest in New York City for bribery and money laundering in the Odebrecht scandal.