Panama asylum for former Colombia spy boss – unconstitutional
THE DECISION by Panama to grant asylum to former Colombian Intelligence Services Director Maria del Pilar was unconstitutional says Panama’s Supreme Court .
The decision on announced on Thursday,May 29, was made with eight votes in favor and one abstention.
A court source said that Judge Harry Díaz abstained while the remaining judges, Harley Mitchell, Oydén Ortega, Jerome Mejia, Victor Benavides, Luis Ramón Fábrega, Abel Zamorano (alternate for Alejandro Moncada Luna) Gabriel Fernández (alternate for José Ayú Prado) and Secundino Mendieta (alternate for León Hernán) voted in favor.
The decision was made based on a complaint presented by lawyer Angel Alvarez reports La Prensa.
Hurtado has been in Panama since November 2010. In December, the Foreign Ministry of Colombia sent a request for the extradition of the former official based on a treaty signed between the two countries in 1927. But the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, after examining the documents, determined that the extradition was "not viable."
President-elect Juan Carlos Varela – who was chancellor when Panama granted asylum – said that he would review the case based on new information once he took office in July.
Hurtado is wanted in Colombia for allegedly ordering illegal wiretaps and other forms of surveillance on judges, journalists and opposition politicians.
