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Extradition Hearing For Panamanian Ex-President

/ CBS Miami

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MIAMI (CBSMiami/AP) — An extradition hearing will be held in Miami federal court Thursday for a former Panamanian president who is fighting efforts to send him back to his home country.

Ricardo Martinelli, 65, was Panama's president from 2009-2014.

The former president failed to appear at a December 2015 court hearing in Panama on charges that include illegally monitoring phone and other conversations of at least 150 people with an extensive surveillance system he created with public funds. He denies any wrongdoing and is seeking asylum in the U.S.

Martinelli was arrested in Miami last month on an extradition warrant from Panama. He's being held without bond.

(© Copyright 2017 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

First published on August 3, 2017 / 8:23 AM EDT

© 2017 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.

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