Costa Rican Ex-Minister Gamboa to be extradited to face US charges

Costa Rica Extradites Citizens to Face US Drug Trafficking Charges

In a move marking a significant shift in the country’s approach to justice, Costa Rica has extradited several of its citizens to the United States to face charges related to drug trafficking and conspiracy. The individuals included in Friday’s extradition are Celso Gamboa, a former Supreme Court justice, and Edwin Lopez Vega, a suspected drug trafficker.

Gamboa, 49, previously served as a Supreme Court justice from 2016 to 2018 and as the deputy attorney general from 2015 to 2016. He was arrested on June 23, 2025, in connection with allegations of manufacturing and distributing cocaine destined for the US. The US government has charged him with related conspiracy charges.

Lopez Vega, known by the nickname “Pecho de Rata” or “Rat’s Chest”, is also facing extradition on charges related to drug trafficking. Both men were placed in handcuffs at the Juan Santamaria International Airport in San Jose, Costa Rica, before boarding a plane bound for Texas.

The extraditions are part of a broader trend in Latin America aimed at combating organized crime. In April 2024, Ecuador approved an amendment allowing its citizens to be extradited to countries like the US. The amendment, which was passed with 44 votes in support, sets conditions on extraditions, including limits on the death penalty and sentences of more than 50 years’ imprisonment.

Costa Rica’s legislature passed the constitutional amendment in 2025, which allows for the extradition of citizens accused of drug trafficking and terrorism. Attorney General Carlo Diaz hailed the extraditions as a major step in ensuring criminal justice, stating that “no one can use our nationality to evade justice”.

Source: Al Jazeera