EXTRADITION: PARAGUAY: CARLOS IVAN MENDES MESQUITA

UNCLAS ASUNCION 000471 SIPDIS SENSITIVE STATE FOR L/LEI- H.COLLUMS AND G. HARRIS DOJ FOR DOJ/OIA- J. LEHTMAN E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: CJAN CVIS KCRM SNAR PA SUBJECT: EXTRADITION: PARAGUAY: CARLOS IVAN MENDES MESQUITA REFS: A) 04 STATE 266217 B) TSIROS 4/4 E-MAIL and previous ¶1. (U) Judge Riquelme signed the extradition order for Mendes Mesquita on April 1. We expect the defense will appeal the decision to the Court of Appeals and then to the Supreme Court. Post will forward a copy of the decision to L/LEI via pouch. ¶2. (SBU) Comment: The signing of the extradition order coincided with the unrelated extradition of three Brazilian narcotraffickers to Brazil on April 1. The extraditions, which were completed within a matter of months as opposed to the usual years, were a success for the Paraguayan judicial system. An Embassy contact who works closely on extradition matters saw this as an indication that Supreme Court President Antonio Fretes has successfully imposed a hard- line policy on such matters in the courts. End comment. KEANE