JURIST - Paper Chase: Mexico allows extradition of ex-Guatemalan president

[JURIST] Mexican Foreign Secretary Luis Ernesto Derbez [official profile, in Spanish] has signed an order allowing Guatemala [JURIST news archive] to extradite former Guatemalan president Alfonso Portillo [Wikipedia profile] so that he can face charges of embezzlement for alleged misuse of defense department funds during his presidency, Mexican officials said Tuesday. The charges allege that officials tied to Portillo pocketed most of the $15 million he transferred to the Guatemalan defense department during his term in office from 2000 to 2004. The order requires Portillo must verify his presence in Mexico to a judge every Monday while extradition is pending, and immigration officials have been instructed to make sure he stays in the country.

Portillo's lawyer told AP that an appeal of the extradition order will be filed within the permitted 15-day time period. The trial may be delayed up to six months before the entire extradition procedure takes place. AP has more.

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