U.S. Senators Jim Risch (R-Idaho), ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) have expressed concern over the Honduran government’s plans to terminate its extradition treaty with the United States.
In a joint statement, the senators highlighted the treaty’s effectiveness as a law enforcement tool. “We are deeply concerned by the Honduran government’s plans to terminate its extradition treaty with the United States. Our treaty has been an effective law enforcement tool, as evidenced by the extradition of several drug traffickers and at least one human smuggler from Honduras to the United States just this year,” they stated.
The senators also referenced a 2020 announcement by the U.S. Department of Justice regarding indictments against 15 current and former Venezuelan officials, including Vladimir Padrino, for allegedly collaborating with senior members of the Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia. This organization aims to use cocaine as a weapon to “flood” the United States.
“We share Ambassador Dogu’s surprise about senior Honduran security officials meeting with indicted drug traffickers such as Padrino,” they added.
The statement concluded with a call for continued commitment to justice and democracy. “Democracy and justice require the Biden-Harris Administration and President Castro to recommit to the robust implementation of our bilateral extradition treaty and the fight against transnational criminals like Venezuela’s Maduro.”
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