U.S. Ambassador William Brownfield is seeking to adjust the U.S-Colombia extradition treaty to avoid a repeat of the Colombian Supreme Court’s decision to block the extradition of “Don Mario” on Monday, according to El Espectador.
Brownfield said that the U.S government respects the importance of Colombia’s ongoing Justice and Peace process, which the supreme court decided would be damaged by the extradition of Daniel Rendon Herrera, alias “Don Mario.”
“We will make some adjustments to our legal system to ensure that the Colombian justice system has access to the extradition process so we can continue to collaborate in the process of justice and peace,” said Brownfield.
The Colombian government confirmed Monday that it would not authorize the extradition of the drug lord to the U.S. as Herrera has been cooperating with the peace process for several months.
Herrera has so far implicated 26 political leaders and an ex-congressman as having links with the paramilitaries.
The U.S-Colombian extradition treaty has been in place since 1982 and was amended in 1997 to allow for the extradition of Colombian nationals.