And while Budna is asking for justice from a Guatemalan jail cell, we told you last month that Robert Hertular is asking for assistance from an US Federal prison. Hertular was extradited to the US in 2004 and found guilty of "conspiracy to import ton quantities of cocaine into the United States" in 2006.
However, Hertular is now making the legal argument that he was wrongly convicted under a false indictment. He's currently serving a 33 year sentence but says it is the duty of the government of Belize to bring him back home. He has written to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs asking for intervention. Fonseca told us today that he'll look into it.
Francis Fonseca, Minister Of FAFT, ECST
"Yeah, I think the attorney, I have not seen the letter as yet, but the attorney general informed me that he did receive, the attorney general received a letter. And so the attorney general and I plan to have a discussion about it next week. So coming out of that discussion, I think I will be better able and better informed, you know, to speak on that issue, but I have not received the letter as the Minister of Foreign Affairs has yet. But I know the AG has received it from I think a sort of human rights NGO. And their lawyers, who work on these types of cases. I think the letter was from them on behalf of Mr. Hertular. So we will certainly look into it, discuss it with the AG. And if there's anything that we need to do, we will certainly, certainly follow up. But as I understand it, there has to be some application made in the United States. And then based on what happens there, then we be in a position to see how we can support, Mr. Hertular's case, if in fact, it is determined that, you know, he was wrongly, taken to the United States."
