MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Uruguayan judge halts extradition of Pepín pending outcome of political asylum request

Uruguayan Judge Chamsarian needs a resolution on Pepín's political asylum request before moving on with his extradition papers

Uruguay's judiciary system Thursday decided to postpone any decision on Argentina's request for the extradition of former President Mauricio Macri's aide and current Parlasur Deputy Fabián Rodríguez Simón, also known as “Pepín,” until his political asylum request is answered.

The court ruling by Magistrate Adriana Chamsarian also mandated that Pepín be banned from leaving the country and ordered his passport be withheld.

Pepín is wanted for his alleged involvement in off-the record pressure on behalf of Macrism against businessmen Cristóbal López and Fabián De Sousa, shareholders of the Indalo Group, who were unsuccessfully coerced into selling their stakes at the cable news TV station C5N, Radio 10 and other media outlets to entrepreneurs politically alligned with the former Buenos Aires Mayor and later President under investigation by Buenos Aires Federal Judge María Romilda Servini.

Under Article 41 of Uruguay's Law of Right to Refuge “when extradition requests fall on refugee applicants, it will be the Judge of the case who, exceptionally, after a report of the Commission of Refugees, will adopt resolution on the request of refuge, before deciding on the extradition.”

Therefore, before the extradition proceedings may continue, the judge in charge of the case will need the report from the Refugee Commission, which is made up of a representative of the Uruguayan Ministry of Foreign Affairs, one of the National Directorate of Migration, one of a university, a legislator, two from non-governmental organizations and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees or his representative, with the right to speak, but without vote.

In that scenario Judge Chamsarian ordered “to suspend the present extradition process of Mr. Fabián Rodríguez Simón until a final resolution on the previous question invoked of his status as a refugee” is issued.

Read also: Former Macrist advisor seeks political asylum in Uruguay