Hebert Garcia said in an interview that he was being hounded for denouncing currency crimes, Reuters reported.
Local media said an arrest warrant was issued earlier this month for Garcia, a general who served as transportation and food minister, on charges of embezzlement in the EUR 50m ($54m) purchase.
Garcia, who said he had gone to Panama at the start of the year but did not reveal his present location, said the government had turned against him when he criticised “phantom” companies siphoning dollars for non-existent imports.
