By Zoila Palma: On Wednesday, a judge in Argentina requested the extradition from the United States of former Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro on charges of crimes against humanity.
The request follows Maduro’s capture by the U.S. military last month and his detention in New York, where he faces federal charges of narco-terrorism and conspiracy to import cocaine, AP reports.
Argentine federal judge Sebastián Ramos ordered the urgent processing of the international request, citing allegations tied to Maduro’s time in office.
The Argentine investigation accuses Maduro of overseeing a violent crackdown on protesters and political opponents, including acts of torture, arbitrary detention and enforced disappearance carried out by Venezuelan security forces.
The case was filed in Buenos Aires in 2023 by human rights organizations representing Venezuelan victims and is based on the principle of universal jurisdiction, which allows Argentine courts to prosecute grave international crimes committed anywhere in the world. An international arrest warrant for Maduro was first issued by Argentina in 2024.
Argentina’s foreign ministry must now submit the extradition request to the U.S. government, though compliance is considered unlikely as Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, await trial in Brooklyn on drug trafficking charges.
Human rights groups backing the case described the move as a milestone for justice and accountability.
Argentina, one of the few countries that permits extraterritorial prosecution of crimes against humanity, has increasingly pursued such cases, a stance supported by President Javier Milei, who has welcomed the U.S. military’s ouster of Maduro.
The post International News: Argentina seeks extradition of Nicolás Maduro from U.S. over crimes against humanity charges appeared first on Belize News and Opinion on www.breakingbelizenews.com.
By Zoila Palma: On Wednesday, a judge in Argentina requested the extradition from the United States of former Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro on charges of crimes against humanity. The request follows Maduro’s capture by the U.S. military last month and his detention in New York, where he faces federal charges of narco-terrorism and conspiracy to
The post International News: Argentina seeks extradition of Nicolás Maduro from U.S. over crimes against humanity charges appeared first on Belize News and Opinion on www.breakingbelizenews.com.
