Court issues arrest warrant for ex-Guatemalan president
MOSCOW. January 25. KAZINFORM The Guatemalan criminal court has issued an arrest warrant for country's ex-President Alfonso Portillo, who faces extradition to the U.S. on charges of money laundering, local media said on Monday, Kazinform refers to RIA Novosti.
The Periodico newspaper said the warrant for Portillo, who had been Guatemalan president in 2000-2004, was issued following a request by a U.S. prosecutor's office.
The U.S. accuses Portillo of laundering money through American banks. He is believed to have been embezzling money from the Guatemalan state budget during his presidency and is to face trial in the Latin American country before being extradited to the U.S.
According to the Latin American Herald Tribune online edition, the request was made two weeks ago, however, it had not been made public until now.
Portillo, who fled to Mexico soon after the end of his presidency in 2004, was extradited from the country in 2008 and brought to trial in Guatemala on charges of aiding embezzlement of budgetary funds. He received a prison term, but was soon released on bail, Kazinform cites RIA Novosti. See www.en.rian.ru for full version.