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