Gambiaj.com – (Buenos Aires, Argentina) – Argentine federal justice authorities on Wednesday, February 4, 2026, formally requested that the United States extradite Nicolás Maduro Moros, the Venezuelan president currently detained in the U.S., to face questioning in Argentina as part of an ongoing investigation into crimes against humanity.

In a decision signed by Federal Judge Sebastián Ramos, the Argentine judiciary issued an international legal request, known as an exhorto, asking U.S. authorities to transfer Maduro from U.S. custody so he can be heard under Argentine jurisdiction in a case that accuses him of serious human rights abuses committed during his tenure as Venezuela’s head of state.

The extradition motion cites the principle of universal jurisdiction, enshrined in the Argentine Constitution and international law, which permits courts in Argentina to investigate and prosecute crimes such as genocide, torture, and other crimes against humanity, regardless of where they occurred or the nationality of the accused.

The legal action stems from a 2023 complaint filed by human rights organizations representing Venezuelan victims, which alleged systematic violations of human rights in Venezuela under Maduro’s government.

Argentine courts previously issued international arrest warrants for Maduro and other senior Venezuelan officials in 2024 as part of the same investigation.

Maduro was reportedly detained by U.S. forces in early January and is currently in federal custody in the United States, where he faces unrelated criminal charges, including narcotrafficking. The Argentine request must now be processed through diplomatic and legal channels between Buenos Aires and Washington.

The development marks a significant escalation in the international legal scrutiny of Maduro, adding to ongoing proceedings in both the United States and before Argentine courts over allegations of serious international crimes.