Ex President Must Face
Trial in Guatemala
GUATEMALA - The certainty of a first trial
in Guatemala and the possibility of being
extradited then to the United States have
gained greater importance in the case of ex
President Alfonso Portillo.
Guatemalan Attorney General Amilcar
Velasquez asserted that the trial started in
this country against Portillo for
embezzlement, after stealing huge amounts of
money from the treasury during his term of
office (2000-2004), can not be suspended.
The US request to extradite the ex president
to try him for money laundering at banks in
the United States should be discussed,
according to the laws about this issue, said
Velasquez.
He explained that to achieve this, it is
necessary to request Mexico's permission
before, because he was sent from that
country to Guatemala in 2008.
Portillo arrived then in this country, but
he was not sent to jail, because he paid a
huge bail for his freedom, while they were
preparing the trial, which was stopped, due
to different appeals presented by his
defense lawyers.
After the US justice presented its request,
a court in this capital issued an arrest
warrant on Friday, but it was impossible
then to find the accused for four days.
After he was arrested in an eastern area of
the country, the ex president was
transferred to this city, where he was
apprised of the charges against him,
especially the US extradition request, and
then he was sent to a preventive detention
center.
Once the formal proceeding concluded, during
which he said to preferred being tried in
Guatemala, Portillo made the authorities
responsible for his personal security and
pleaded not guilty, although there are
enough evidence against him.
Now, his defense lawyer presented an appeal
to hinder extradition to the United States,
putting forward that he has a pending trial
in this nation.
The ex president's capture and imprisonment
has caused a stir, for being the first time
in the country's history that an event of
this kind involves the holder of the
nation's highest post.
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