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Argentine justice moved forward this Wednesday with a formal request for the United States to extradite Nicolás Maduro to Argentina, in the context of a case in which the Chavista dictator is accused of crimes against humanity committed against civilians in Venezuela.
According to the agency EFE, the request was signed by federal judge Sebastián Ramos, who is processing the case opened in Argentine courts since 2023, following a complaint filed by the Argentine Forum for the Defense of Democracy (FADD).
The case is based on the principle of universal jurisdiction, a legal concept that allows a country to investigate and prosecute serious crimes against human rights even if they occurred outside its territory.
According to the court document cited by Argentine media, Ramos ordered the issuance of an international request to Washington with the aim of having Maduro handed over to Argentine justice to face the criminal proceedings against him.
Accusations against the leadership of the Venezuelan regime
The judge recalled that in September 2024, he had already ordered the international capture of Maduro, as well as the Minister of the Interior Diosdado Cabello and other high-ranking officials, considering that the power structure in Venezuela executed a “systematic plan” against the civilian population.
According to the Federal Court, the actions included practices of persecution, kidnapping, torture, and murders, carried out in an organized and sustained manner over time.
The Prosecutor's Office requested to activate extradition following the arrest in the U.S.
Federal prosecutor Carlos Stornelli requested the immediate initiation of the active extradition process after reports indicated that Maduro may have been detained by U.S. authorities in early January.
The resolution also establishes that the request must be translated urgently and channeled through the International Legal Assistance Directorate of the Argentine Foreign Ministry, which is responsible for managing judicial requests abroad.
A complex diplomatic scenario
The Argentine request arises in a sensitive context, as Maduro also faces ongoing cases in the United States related to drug trafficking and terrorism, which complicates any potential transfer to another country.
For now, it is unclear whether Washington will proceed with the request, but the judicial progress represents a new international blow against the Venezuelan regime.
Trial against Maduro in the U.S.
The judicial process facing Maduro in the United States took a new turn on Tuesday.
Federal Judge Alvin Hellerstein of the Southern District Court of New York confirmed on Tuesday the postponement of the hearing originally scheduled for March 17, which will now take place on March 26.
The decision is in response to a request made by the Southern District of New York's Prosecutor's Office, with the consent of the defenses of both Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, who is also facing criminal charges.
The request was signed by federal prosecutor Jay Clayton, who alleged the need for more time for the prosecution team to "produce the discovery of evidence" and allow the defenses to review the material in advance, which will also facilitate the filing of pre-trial motions, as reported by the agency EFE.
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