MADRID (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 11th November, 2021) The Spanish National Court ruled on Wednesday to extradite Adrian Jose Velasquez Figueroa, who worked as the head of security for former Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, to the United States.
In October, the court ruled to extradite his wife to the United States, former treasurer and nurse of Chavez, Claudia Guillen, who is accused of money laundering and membership in a criminal organization.
"The Criminal Chamber of the National Court has agreed to extradite Adrian Velasquez Figueroa to the United States to be tried for allegedly participating with his wife, Venezuelan citizen Claudia Patricia Diaz Guillen, in a corruption scheme with foreign Currency exchange for the Venezuelan government and money laundering on American soil," the press service of the National Court said.
In 2018, Velasquez and his wife were arrested in Spain following an extradition request by the Venezuelan authorities, who accused them of illegal enrichment, conspiracy and money laundering. The National Court of Spain initially approved the extradition, but at the appeal hearing overturned the decision due to a "possible violation of fundamental rights" in the event of extradition.
Claudia Patricia Diaz Guillen was a member of the inner circle of Venezuela's former president, who died of cancer in 2013. Her husband was the head of Chavez's security service. From 2011-2013, she was the executive secretary of the public investment fund Fonden, which received more than $100 billion from the state budget. Guillen was reported to have illegally acquired assets through the Panamanian law firm Mossack Fonseca.
