The US Has Until March 5 to Formerly Request Ovidio Guzman-Lopez's Extradition

"Socalj" for Borderland Beat

The United States government has until March 5 to present the formal request for the extradition of Ovidio Guzmán López, "El Ratón. Should no formal request be made by that time, and there are no pressing charges against him in Mexico, he could be released unless a judge orders preventative detention.

A few weeks after being arrested in Jesus Maria on January 5th, Ovidio Guzmán requested a suspension to avoid being handed over to the US to a Washington, D.C. federal court to be tried for crimes of conspiracy to introduce marijuana, cocaine, and methamphetamines.

Last week the judge granted him a provisional suspension so that it is not delivered until he defines whether to grant him the definitive suspension. The jurisdiction of Amparo was also moved from Mexico City to a judge in Toluca, the closest city to the Altiplano prison he is being held at.

"The District Judge Specialized in the Accusatory Criminal System of the Federal Criminal Justice Center in the State of Mexico, residing in Almoloya de Juárez (Altiplano) acting as Control Judge, through which he renders his justified report, and informs that on March 5, 2023, the term expires for the requesting state to formulate the respective formal petition, therefore, in accordance with the provisions of article 117 of the Amparo Law, the parties are heard by the term of eight days for them to state what is in their interest.”

The request must be made by the Department of Justice to the United States Foreign Ministry, which will deliver the document through diplomatic channels to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (SRE) of Mexico, which will notify the Public Ministry of the Attorney General of the Republic (FGR).

If the requirements are met, the acting judge will authorize his extradition.

Since July 6, 2017, the United States Department of Justice has published an investigation against Ovidio Guzmán and his brother Joaquín. Both are wanted by the United States authorities based on an investigation carried out between 2008 and 2018 by the Office of Homeland Security Investigations.

While the US has requested Ovidio's extradition since 2019, prior to his first arrest and release during Culiacanazo; a formal request with him now in custody in Mexico has not been made. The reason for the delay is likely only due to ensuring all proper information and paperwork are filed in order for there to be no issues with the formal extradition request.

Source La Silla Rota