JURIST - Paper Chase: Chavez slams US ruling against extradition of Cuban terror suspect

[JURIST] Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez [Wikipedia profile] Wednesday strongly criticized a ruling from a US immigration judge [JURIST report] earlier this week that Cuban exile Luis Posada Carriles [Wikipedia profile; JURIST news archive] would not be handed over to Venezuela or Cuba for prosecution on alleged terrorist acts because he could potentially face torture. The former anti-Castro CIA operative is wanted in Venezuela regarding allegations that he played a role in the 1976 bombing of a Cuban airliner, and Posada is also wanted in Cuba where he is accused of making numerous assassination attempts on Cuban President Fidel Castro [Wikipedia profile]. Chavez had strong words for the US, saying, "Now the US government has decided in favor of the terrorist Posada . . . see the cynicism of the imperialists. They torture in Guantanamo Bay, they are the ones who torture. They kill, assassinate and bomb people." Chavez said if Posada is not handed over, he may review current ties between the US and Venezuela, which is a key exporter of oil to the US. Venezuelan lawyers are drafting a legal response to the US judge's decision. Reuters has more. From Caracas, El Nacional has local coverage.

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