Panama's government warned of punishment for public employees who took any of the more than $59m in bribes paid by Brazilian construction company Odebrecht in return for contracts.
The declaration by President Juan Carlos Varela's administration came a day after US officials said Odebrecht and its petrochemical affiliate Braskem had agreed to pay $3.5bn in "the largest-ever global foreign bribery resolution."
The Odebrecht conglomerate pleaded guilty to bribing government officials and political parties to the tune of $788m to secure business on three continents -- mostly in Brazil, but also in 11 other countries in Latin America and Africa.
Under the plea agreement, Brazil will receive 80 percent of Odebrecht's fines, while the United States and Switzerland will garner 10 percent each.
