on Wednesday reported that former President Alejandro Toledo has been notified of the decision by the United States to grant his extradition to Peru's justice system.
This will allow the ex-top official to have the possibility of voluntarily surrendering to U.S. authorities and, thus, facilitate the judicial procedure for his return to the country, the magistrate indicated.
"In principle, we have been informed that Toledo had already been notified of the decision by the North American (U.S.) State (to hand him over) to Peruvian justice. (After this decision, he could turn himself in) voluntarily to North American authorities so that finally, after having completed the administrative procedures, he can take the corresponding flight," Vela said in remarks to RPP Noticias.
The magistrate affirmed Peruvian prosecutors are expecting that "finally, Mr. Toledo, can be extradited accordingly in the coming days, as has been the effort by multiple institutions within the Peruvian State so that Mr. Toledo can finally appear before (Peruvian) justice."
The superior prosecutor pointed out that, following the U.S. decision to grant Toledo's extradition, "the debate is exhausted" and "only the completion of said decision is pending."
The magistrate recalled that the
extradition request over the Interoceanic Highway case, involving Alejandro Toledo, had
been raised by Prosecutor Jose Domingo Perez's Office, which
was finally supported by a U.S. judge, who certified the extradition process and verified that the case "has been fully and exhaustively analyzed."
"From that point of view, there is no longer any type of discussion about the arguments or even the defense strategies of Mr. Toledo. All that debate is over. Only the completion of the decision by the North American justice and U.S. State Department authorities to hand over Mr. Toledo (to Peru) is pending," he explained.
Alejandro Toledo —who resides in the U.S.— is being investigated by the Peruvian justice for having allegedly received a bribe worth nearly US$32 million from the Brazilian Odebrecht company to favor it in the bidding for the Interoceanic Highway while he was President of the Republic (2001-2006).
On February 8, 2017, Peruvian Judge Richard Concepcion Carhuancho ordered 18-month preventive detention for Toledo, as well as his international capture.