MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Argentine judge rules in favor of extraditing 5 defendants convicted in Brazil's coup d'état case

Rafecas' decision will be appealed, defense lawyers said

Buenos Aires Federal Judge Daniel Rafecas ruled Wednesday to extradite five Brazilian nationals who were convicted for their roles in the January 8, 2023, attacks on Brazil's government headquarters.

Joelton Gusmão de Oliveira, Rodrigo de Freitas Moro Ramalho, Joel Borges Correa, Wellington Luiz Firmino, and Ana Paula de Souza were sentenced in Brazil to prison terms ranging from 13 to 17 years for participating in the attempted coup against President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.

Rafecas' decision follows an extradition request from Brazil's Supreme Federal Court (STF) Justice Alexandre De Moraes leading to the fugitives' arrest in Argentina late last year. Defense lawyers said they would appeal Rafecas’ decision.

All frive defendants had filed asylum requests before Argentina's National Commission for Refugees (CONARE) upon arriving in the country, which had not been processed at the time of their detentions.

The CONARE —made up of representatives from the Argentine Ministries of the Interior, Justice, Security, and Foreign Affairs— is yet pronounce itself on each case.

According to local experts, the final decision will be up to President Javier Milei's administration.