Buenos Aires – Argentina has formally requested the extradition of ousted Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro from the United States, adding another layer to the complex legal challenges facing the former leader following his capture in January. Maduro, currently in U.S. custody on narcotics trafficking charges, now faces potential investigation in Argentina for alleged crimes against humanity related to his time in power, stemming from accusations of systematic repression beginning in 2014. The move underscores the growing international effort to pursue accountability for alleged human rights abuses committed under the Maduro government.
Argentine authorities have requested the extradition of Nicolás Maduro from the United States to face questioning in a case involving alleged crimes against humanity, according to a judicial resolution issued Wednesday and reviewed by the AFP.
The move comes as Maduro remains in custody in New York, where he is facing charges related to narcotics trafficking, following a reported military incursion in Caracas on January 3rd that led to his removal from power.
A judge in Argentina issued an international request, or “exhorto,” to the United States on Wednesday seeking Maduro’s extradition for investigation into the alleged crimes against humanity, citing the principle of “universal jurisdiction.”
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The request follows earlier action in 2024, when Argentine justice officials sought an international arrest warrant for Maduro in connection with the same case. The initial complaints were filed by the Fundación de George y Amal Clooney (CFJ) and the Foro Argentino para la Defensa de la Democracia (FADD).
In 2023, both organizations brought accusations against the Venezuelan government before Argentine courts, invoking the principle of universal jurisdiction. The two legal challenges were later consolidated into a single case.
Tomás Farini Duggan, a lawyer with FADD and a plaintiff in the case, explained to AFP that the Wednesday resolution was a direct result of Maduro’s detention in another country. “If an accused individual is arrested in another country, the Argentine judge who requested the capture must request extradition. It’s a cause-and-effect situation.”
Farini Duggan stated that if the United States denies the extradition request, they will seek to have Maduro questioned in the U.S. to allow the case to “proceed to trial, even if Maduro is not formally detained in Argentina.”
“In that case, I suppose the judge and prosecutor would have to travel, and we, as plaintiffs, could request to submit written questions,” he explained. He noted there is no set deadline for a response from the United States, as the extradition request must first go through both countries’ foreign ministries before reaching the judge in the Southern District of New York overseeing Maduro’s case.
Jurisdicción universal
Argentine courts determined in 2024 that there was evidence of “a systematic plan of repression, forced disappearance, torture, murder, and persecution against a segment of the civilian population” in Venezuela dating back to 2014. As a result, arrest warrants were issued for Maduro and Diosdado Cabello, his interior minister and second-in-command.
Argentina has previously applied the principle of universal jurisdiction. In 2021, it launched an investigation into allegations of crimes committed by the Burmese military against the Rohingya Muslim minority. In 2022, a criminal investigation was initiated against Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega.
A well-known precedent for the application of this principle occurred in 1998 when former Chilean dictator Augusto Pinochet was arrested in London following an order from Spanish Judge Baltasar Garzón.
Maduro was taken into custody by U.S. forces following an operation that included airstrikes in Caracas and surrounding areas. Delcy Rodríguez, his vice president, has assumed power in an interim capacity and is governing under pressure from the United States.
The former Venezuelan leader is accused of drug trafficking and terrorism by U.S. authorities, and his next court appearance is scheduled for March 17th in New York.
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Buenos Aires – Argentina has formally requested the extradition of ousted Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro from the United States, escalating a legal pursuit linked to allegations of crimes against humanity. The move highlights the increasing willingness of international courts to exercise universal jurisdiction in cases of severe human rights violations.
The Argentine request centers on accusations of systematic repression and abuses committed in Venezuela beginning in 2014. The case was initially brought forward by human rights organizations, including the Clooney Foundation for Justice and the Argentine Forum for the Defense of Democracy, and has gained momentum as Maduro faces separate charges in the U.S. related to narcotics trafficking. The development underscores growing international efforts to hold Venezuelan leaders accountable for alleged abuses.
If granted, Maduro’s extradition would allow Argentine authorities to question him regarding the allegations. Should the U.S. decline, Argentina will seek to question Maduro within the United States, potentially paving the way for a trial even without his physical presence in Argentina. The outcome of this request could set a precedent for future cases involving leaders accused of widespread human rights violations.
