Supreme Court approves extradition of Bolivian colonel sought by DEA for drug trafficking and arms
The Court rejected a freedom appeal by Colonel Henry Richard C. G. of the FAB, detained in Sucre. The extradition process to the US continues.
Bolivian justice rejects appeal by colonel charged by the DEA and keeps extradition proceedings alive
The Criminal Chamber of the Departmental Court of Chuquisaca denied this week the freedom petition filed by Colonel Henry Richard C. G. of the Bolivian Air Force (FAB), according to information provided by magistrate Primo Martínez. With that ruling, the extradition process requested by the United States remains in effect and now passes to the Public Ministry.
El Deber reports that the officer's defence had argued that his constitutional rights and guarantees were violated during the arrest operation, and therefore requested that the detention be annulled. The court rejected that appeal.
"Yesterday a freedom petition was resolved for one of the detainees that you know about; the appeal has been denied. So it will continue with the proceedings, because at this moment the Public Ministry is hearing this matter," Martínez explained.
Henry Richard C. G. was detained last week in Santa Cruz de la Sierra during a joint operation by the Special Force to Combat Drug Trafficking (Felcn), Interpol agents and the DEA. According to operational reports, officers apprehended him as he was leaving his residence in the El Palmar area, Aviador urbanisation, and he did not resist.
Following his capture, the colonel was transferred to San Roque prison in Sucre, the city where the judicial order for extradition purposes had been issued and where the competent judicial authorities are handling the proceedings.
The director of Felcn, Dimar Caprirolo, clarified after the detention that the warrant was requested by the United States Embassy and executed in compliance with a judicial order. Felcn indicated that the military officer was being investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) in connection with a case involving international trafficking of controlled substances and trafficking or possession of high-calibre firearms.
The Supreme Court of Justice (TSJ) thus rejected the constitutional appeal presented by the defence and permitted the procedure to continue. Bolivian authorities must still complete the various stages provided for before a possible extradition to the United States can be carried out.
Magistrate Martínez confirmed that the matter is in the hands of the Public Ministry, whilst the colonel remains in custody in Sucre.
Source: El Deber