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Argentine authorities requested Wednesday the extradition of deposed Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro from the United States to face charges of crimes against humanity, according to a court ruling.
An Argentine judge invoked the principle of universal jurisdiction to request that Maduro, who was captured by US forces on January 3 and transported to New York, be handed over for questioning in connection with allegations of grave human rights abuses committed during his time in power.
The legal maneuver represents an unusual international custody dispute, as Maduro already faces drug trafficking and other criminal charges in the United States, where his next court hearing is scheduled for March 17 in New York.
Argentine authorities had already requested Maduro's arrest in 2024 when he still held the Venezuelan presidency, following complaints filed by the George and Amal Clooney Foundation and the Argentine Forum for the Defense of Democracy. The two organizations submitted a complaint in 2023 against the Venezuelan government for human rights violations before Argentine courts, which were later consolidated into a single case.
Prosecutors accuse Maduro and Venezuelan Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello of orchestrating "a systematic plan of repression, enforced disappearances, torture, killings, and persecution against a portion of the civilian population" beginning in 2014.
The principle of universal jurisdiction holds that certain crimes are so heinous they can be prosecuted in countries other than where they allegedly occurred. This legal doctrine is typically applied to crimes against humanity, genocide, war crimes, and torture.
Argentina has previously applied universal jurisdiction to investigate allegations of grave crimes by Myanmar's military and Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega. Several European countries, including France, Spain and Germany, also prosecute some of the worst crimes regardless of where they were committed.
The Argentine extradition request creates a potential conflict with US legal proceedings, though American authorities would ultimately decide whether to honor the request or proceed with their own prosecution. The United States has not yet publicly responded to Argentina's extradition petition.
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