:quality(85)//cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/infobae/U3SX4L4AFVAMXICSKXHHYAZCZE.jpg "Alejandro Toledo does not want to voluntarily surrender to US authorities, says Rafael Vela")
After being notified that the State Department of UNITED STATES granted its process extradition in Peru, the former president Alejandro Toledo decided not to voluntarily surrender to authorities, senior prosecutor said Raphael Velacoordinator of the Lava Jato task force.
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In detail, Vela explained that Toledo He was informed that he had to appear before the Peruvian State and, in this sense, what should have happened is that he surrendered voluntarily, since he is currently under house arrest, after having paid a bond of 1 million US dollars in March 2020. .
“There is a first requirement for him (Toledo) voluntarily submit to the action of the justice of the United States, to make themselves available to their police, which is the insurance system that they have there,” the lead prosecutor said in a statement on Wednesday. interview with RPP.
Prosecutor Rafael Vela assured that Alejandro Toledo “has already been notified” of his extradition
Lava Jato task force coordinator also says ex-president won’t be able to use ‘any strategy’ to change decision
“However, Mr. Toledo, after having contact with the North American authorities, decided not to defer to the law, that is to say, he decided instead to question the decision of the government of the United States itself in the sense that it would be a pending appeal for the habeas corpus that it directed against the judge of the Court of San Francisco, Thomas S. Hixson. In this argument is that he (Toledo) refuses to surrender voluntarily,” Vela added.
As a result, explained the coordinator of the Lava Jato Special Teamis that US authorities have asked Judge Hixson to revoke the house arrest order the former president is serving today.
“It was demanded that the money (from the bond corresponding to the house arrest) be returned to him so that he could go to prison and (the authorities of UNITED STATES) proceed instead to his arrest, his apprehension, his securing, for his eventual handing over to the authorities of Peru”, indicated the prosecutor.
Eliane Karp asks for her passport in the California court in the USA to go to Belgium
This country is notorious for not agreeing to repatriate its citizens. The former first lady, like her husband, is charged with the alleged crime of money laundering in the ‘Ecoteva’ case.
Vela added that this requirement will be assessed by the judge himself. Hixson and the date fixed for the hearing is March 9th. Moreover, considering that Hixson was the one who certified the extradition from Toledo, the top prosecutor was optimistic about the speedy physical surrender of the ex-president to Peruvian authorities.
After Judge Hixson determines that Toledo’s extradition to Peru is proceeding in September 2021, the former president’s legal defense filed a lawsuit Habeas corpus, arguing that due process was violated. The measure was rejected by the American courts and the legal team of the former president appealed.
Given the lack of resolution on this appeal, Toledo, who was sentenced to 20 years and 6 months in prison, decided not to surrender. The court date to see this matter is also March 9. However, for Velahis extradition is not subject to the resolution of these proceedings.
“(The extradition process) has never been conditioned by actions (which may be filed) by Toledo. Prior to the Habeas Corpus appeal, (US authorities) analyzed the issue. was the case, there was no pending appeal from Judge Hixson, indeed, what will be decided, at the time (at the March 9 hearing), is to order custody of Mr. Toledo, by means of an arrest warrant and, then, carry out the corresponding procedure for it to be issued. This is independent of the judicial process of habeas corpus,” stressed the coordinator of the Lava Jato Special Team.