Alejandro Toledo: stages and timing of the extradition of the former president

Last Tuesday, February 21, the Department of State announced that the United States Department of State had authorized the extradition of former President Alejandro Toledo, charged with alleged crimes of conspiracy and money laundering. Toledo Manrique, who has been out of the country since 2017, is facing two processes: in the first, the National Prosecutor’s Office is demanding 16 years and eight months for “Ekoteva Case”; in the second – 20 years and six months for “The Case of the Southern Interocean Highway”.

“Ekoteva Case”

In the “Ekoteva case”, the investigation began in 2013 after it was revealed in a journalistic report that eva fernenburg, the former president’s mother-in-law, purchased property in Las Casuarinas worth $3.8 million. Subsequently, Ecoteva bought an office in the Omega Building for $882,000.

The same company canceled the mortgages on Toledo Manrique’s house, located in the Camacho urbanization, paying about $217,000. He did the same with other properties in Punta Sal worth $277,000. According to the former president, the money used to cover these expenses came from Eva Fernenburg, who would have received compensation as a victim of the Holocaust during World War II.

In addition, it became known that Toledo received a loan from his friend Joseph Maiman face these payments, which earned him the opening of a process against those involved in the government ministry.

“The Case of the Southern Interocean Highway”

In 2016, it was indicated that, as part of the investigations into the “Lav Jato case”, Jorge Barata And Marcelo Odebrecht confessed to taking millionaire bribes by Brazilian construction company Odebrecht to get offers. Both agreed that Alejandro Toledo was receiving illegal payments to intercede for them.

In response, the National Prosecutor’s Office launched an investigation accusing the former president of patronizing a construction company. debrecht in bidding for sections 2 and 3 of the Interoceanic Highway. Similarly, Section 4 investigations were opened against Camargo Correa. The tax argument stated that the supplies had been made through Josef Maiman.

In continuation of what was proposed by the prosecution, the money from the bribes was to be used to set up offshore companies in Costa Rica, one of them, Ecoteva Consulting Group, owned by Eva Fernenbug, mother Elian Karp and mother-in-law from Toledo.

Applications for preventive detention

A year later, in 2017, Toledo Manrique left for the US and did not return to Peruvian soil. That same year, Judge Richard Concepción Caruancho ordered his preventive detention for 18 months, and his capture was ordered nationally and internationally in the “Ekoteva case”. He also requested his extradition.

Literally on the morning of July 16, 2019, Toledo was arrested on an extradition order and transferred to prison. Judge Thomas S. Hickson first of all decided that the ex-president faces a trial behind bars. However, at a special hearing held in 2020, Judge Hickson ordered that he be released and placed in his San Francisco Bay residence under GPS surveillance.

After that, in 2022, Peruvian prosecutors requested 36 months of preventive detention in the “interoceanic highway case.”

Stages and terms of the extradition of Alejandro Toledo

Prosecutors Rafael Vela and Alfredo Rebaza reveal extradition details

Upon learning of the extradition request, the superior prosecutor Rafael Vela, task force coordinator Lava Jato, told RPP News that the decision would “materialize his delivery.” In addition, it advised that there must be “coordination between the authorities of Peru and the United States in order for Mr. Toledo to be available.”

“We have been informed that Toledo has been notified of the decision of the North American state (to transfer it) to Peruvian justice. (After that, he could appear) voluntarily to the North American authorities, so that, finally, after going through the administrative procedures, you can fly on the appropriate flight,” he added.

Along the same lines, Senior Attorney Alfredo Rebazathe head of the Office of International Judicial Cooperation and Extraditions of the National Prosecutor’s Office, mentioned that they are awaiting confirmation from the US authorities for the approval of the delegation that will deliver the former president.

“From here we have to wait for the United States authorities to confirm that this person is ready for transfer, and on this Peru confirms that there will be an environment, for sure Interpol and other officials who are going to implement this decision, that is, go there, arrange delivery and carry out transfer to Peruvian territory,” he told RPP.

Mario Amoretti: “All the resources he could imagine have been exhausted”

In conversation with RPP Noticias, criminal defense lawyer Mario Amoretti He pointed out that with the public ministry’s announcement, all that was left was to cancel Toledo Manrique’s bail so that he could reach Peruvian territory.

“With extradition Alejandro Toledo must be brought to Peru to stand trial here in the country.. He filed a series of writ of habeas corpus, annulment, and it took five years. Despite all this, the United States has already indicated that the extradition is ongoing after the judiciary rejected all of their appeals,” he said.

“He was placed under house arrest with electronic shackles and Alejandro Toledo submitted bail. Thus, the revocation of the pledge is in process. When the review ends, I think that It is a matter of a few days or a maximum of a week, and it must be delivered to Peru.”, he added.

In addition, he said that there was no longer any possibility that any remedy could invalidate the provision issued by the US State Department. USA: “You can no longer ask for help. All remedies that you had the right to present have been exhausted.”

Liliana Calderon: “The process may take several weeks”

For his part, the criminal defense attorney Liliana Calderon He indicated that the process could take several weeks and specified that upon arrival in Peru, he should be transferred to the appropriate detention center.

“Firstly, since extradition has already been authorized, it is now consistent that the arrest of the former President of Toledo can be made in the United States and through international judicial cooperation, coordinate so that he can come to Peru and make it available to the public ministry to determine its content in the penitentiary center,” he said.

“The process can take about a few weeks. We have an Office for International Judicial Cooperation and Extraditions, which is located in the National Prosecutor’s Office. This office must coordinate with the foreign authorities to carry out the extradition.which is basically that this measure can be put in place in Peru,” he added.

In addition, he agreed that there was no legal formula that could interfere with the process.

“At that time, he asked the US authorities for precautionary measures to suspend his extradition process, but this request was denied. He also filed locally for habeas corpus, which were rejected. there would be no other legal formula to prevent, delay or paralyze the process” finished.