MEXICO CITY -- After 19 months of court battles, a Mexican man was finally extradited to the United States this month to face a murder charge in the killing of a Florida woman. Mexico calls the extradition a success, but U.S. politicians don't see it that way.
From the U.S. perspective, Mexico could have done more to speed up the process. Mexican authorities, however, say the proper procedures were followed and justice was ultimately achieved."Mexico was unjustly made the victim of unfounded criticism," said Eduardo Ibarrola, the assistant attorney general assigned to oversee Mexico's extradition cases. Ibarrola says 19 months is about average for deciding Mexico's extradition cases, 90 percent of which are with the United States.
The tug-of-war over extradition -- perhaps the thorniest issue next to drug trafficking in Mexico-U.S. relations -- isn't getting any easier. While Mexico battles its own antiquated, unwieldy legal system, the United States continues to pressure its smaller neighbor, often ignoring sensitive questions of national sovereignty.
Jose Luis del Toro, the suspect finally extradited July 13 after 19 months in Mexico, is to stand trial for allegedly shooting Sheila Bellush, slitting her throat and leaving her 2-year-old quadruplets crawling in her blood in a murder-for-hire plot in Sarasota, Fla., in 1997. He pleaded not guilty last week.
U.S. prosecutors persuaded Mexican officials to send del Toro back to the United States by agreeing not to seek the death penalty, which Mexico does not have.
Mexico's slowness in extraditing del Toro, and its refusal to send him to face a possible death penalty, was criticized in U.S. congressional hearings.
Both Mexico and the United States recognize that extradition problems exist. A joint High-Level Task Force on Fugitive-Related Legal Cooperation was created by both countries last week to address problem areas.
But there are many obstacles on the way to agreement.
On Monday, Mexico announced it won't approve a temporary extradition treaty with the United States until the U.S. Senate forbids police agencies from kidnapping suspects in Mexico and taking them secretly to the United States.
On Wednesday, the U.S. Congress passed a bill requiring the State Department to recommend ways to update antiquated extradition treaties, and to identify countries that serve as safe havens for fugitives from U.S. justice.
Even some Mexican officials acknowledge that adjustments should be made to Mexico's almost endless process of court appeals.
"This process leans much more toward (protecting) criminals. But that's the law and we have to obey it," said Arturo Becerril Maranon, an aide to the Mexico City judge who earlier this week blocked suspected drug trafficker Luis Amezcua's extradition to the United States.