U.S. Deputy Secretary of State William Burns met with Colombia Justice Minister Juan Carlos Esguerra Friday to discuss Colombian concerns over “lax” punishments for extradited Colombian drug traffickers.
Following the Washington meeting, Esguerra told press that “the lax sentences that extradited criminals and drug traffickers have received have surprised us.”
According to the justice minister, Burns made no concrete promises, but “took careful note of our concerns about what is happening and I imagine explanations will follow.”
Esguerra said he would repeat his government’s concerns when meeting U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder on Monday.
Over the past ten years, Colombia has extradited hundreds of citizens to the United States to face drug trafficking charges.