Mexico City, Mexico — The British State Department has ordered the extradition of Karime Macías, the ex-wife of the former governor of Veracruz, back to Mexico.
On Tuesday night, the announcement of the extradition was made known by the Attorney General’s Office (FGR), where it was highlighted that she has 14 days to challenge the decision.
“The Great Britain State Department has just ordered the extradition of Karime ‘M’, ratifying the resolution of the British court that heard the case. This person has fourteen days to challenge that determination” the FGR reported via Twitter.
The FGR statement came after the Westminster Magistrates Court (London) gave the green light for her extradition back to Mexico to face allegations of fraud.
The former governor’s ex-wife was arrested in October 2019 in London, the city where she has been living with her three children since 2017. Due to the pandemic, her extradition has been delayed.
Karime Macías has been accused of monetary diversions of around 100 million peso while she presided over the National System for Integral Family Development Desarrollo Integral de la Familia (DIF) of Veracruz.
On February 17, in a letter disclosed to the media, Macias described the accusations against her made by “public servants of the Veracruz Prosecutor’s Office” as “falsehoods” and reiterated that she will appeal the judicial decision.
“I am not going to allow those falsehoods that those officials declared to go unpunished,” she said saying that the case against her was fabricated, arguing that she only had an “honorary position” when her “now ex-husband” was governor of Veracruz.
Her former husband, Javier Duarte, received a nine-year prison sentence in September of 2018 after pleading guilty to criminal association and money laundering.
