Argentina requests the extradition of Nicolás Maduro from the U.S. for crimes against humanity

The Judiciary of Argentina formalized this Wednesday, February 4, 2026, a request to the United States for the extradition of former Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, who is currently detained in New York, in order to respond to a judicial process for accusations of crimes against humanity committed during his government in Venezuela, including torture, arbitrary detentions, and persecution of political opponents. The request was signed by federal judge Sebastián Ramos and is based on the principle of “universal jurisdiction,” which allows countries like Argentina to investigate serious violations of human rights regardless of where they occurred.

The case in Argentina began in 2023 following reports from human rights organizations, and by 2024 an international arrest warrant had already been requested against Maduro and other high-ranking officials for an alleged “systematic repression plan.” The extradition request will be channeled through the bilateral treaty signed in 1997 between both countries, although experts believe it is unlikely that the United States will comply, given that Maduro also faces federal charges of drug trafficking and terrorism in U.S. courts. The Argentine judicial movement has been viewed as a significant gesture in the international defense of human rights and creates a complex diplomatic scenario between the involved nations.