Martinelli’s eldest son moves closer to extradition to USA

Ricardo Alberto Martinelli Linares will have a hearing on Monday, November 8, to learn the charges for which he is being requested in extradition by the United States.

The hearing was communicated on Friday, by the Third Court of Criminal Sentencing, Drug Trafficking, and Crimes against the Environment. The extradition process of his brother Luis Enrique is being settled in another court, is much more advanced and only requires that the date of his delivery to the United States be set.

The two sons of former President Ricardo Martinelli  (2009-2014) are required to face trial for various crimes related to money laundering. The indictment was filed in the Eastern District Court of New York.

In September, given the imminent extradition of Luis Enrique, Ricardo Alberto withdrew the appeals he presented in Guatemala – where they have been detained since July 6, 2020 – to prevent his extradition.

“Because it suits my interests and having made the decision to passively, voluntarily, and spontaneously submit to the extradition process, I request to desist from the constitutional action for Amparo,” said Ricardo Alberto Martinelli Linares, in the brief of Withdrawal, submitted to the Supreme Court of Guatemala.

At the hearing next Monday, in the Fifth Court (which is the instance that must certify whether or not the extradition proceeds), the detainee will be informed of the charges that support the United States extradition request and his willingness to submit or not to the process.

In the case of Luis Enrique, this procedure has already been carried out and, on May 25, 2021, the Third Court of Criminal Sentencing, Drug Trafficking, and Crimes against the Environment declared the delivery to the United States admissible. The decision was ratified on June 21, by the First Chamber of the Court of Appeals

The two sons of the former president remain in the Mariscal Zavala military prison. Luis Enrique is only waiting for the US embassy in Guatemala to indicate which day he will travel to the United States.

On Thursday, November 4, 2021, immigration service agents visited Luis Enrique in the prison to photograph him. His brother was with him, but he did not participate in any diligence.