QUESTION: What is your reaction to Guatemalan President Alvaro Colom who said he will grant a U.S. extradition request for former president Alfonso Portillo?
ANSWER: We understand that President Colom has upheld the Guatemalan Constitutional Court’s August 26 decision that authorized the extradition of former President Alfonso Portillo to the United States on charges of conspiracy to commit money-laundering.
This decision is an important affirmation of the rule of law and due process in Guatemala.
We commend the efforts of Guatemala’s democratically elected leaders, judicial and law enforcement officials, and the International Commission Against Impunity in Guatemala to strengthen the rule of law and combat organized crime and corruption.
