Washington is particularly interested in Eli Melgar, known by the nickname “Blue”, who has been imprisoned in Salvador since 2018 for ordering killings and other crimes on the east coast of the United States.
The State Department asked the authorities El Salvador to proceed “immediately” to the extradition to the US of leaders of the international gang Mara Salvatroutsa (MS-13), who are wanted by American justice in order to be tried.
This request opens a new chapter in the increasingly complex relationship of his government Democratic President Joe Biden with that of his counterpart Nagib Boukele.
THE Patrick Ventrell, the US embassy plenipotentiary in El Salvador, in particular requested its extradition Eli Melgaralso known as nickname “Blue”, who has been imprisoned since 2018 in his home country for allegedly ordering killings and other crimes on the east coast of the US.
“The best way for the El Salvador government to show that it is serious about trying to find a real, lasting and viable solution to reduce gang violence is to extradite the (most) dangerous leaders.” Mr. Ventrell argued during a press conference.
In January 2021, US prosecutors prosecuted 14 MS-13 leaders for “terrorism”.
Authorities in El Salvador, which did not respond to a request for comment, did not provide details on where the gang members were being held. For its part, the country’s Supreme Court had assured in 2021 that it would proceed with an “analysis” of extradition requests.
The government of forty Mr. Boukele has collide repeatedly with that of Mr Biden, which has imposed sanctions to several officials in the close circle of the Salvadoran president.
For its part, the El Salvador’s ambassador to the United States, Milena Mallorcauploaded to her account a photo of herself during a meeting with US President Biden. “What we are asking for is a relationship based on respect, independence, national sovereignty.” stated, without prejudice to the extradition request.
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