No menu items!

COSTA RICA'S LEADING ENGLISH LANGUAGE NEWSPAPER

HomeEl SalvadorUS to deport ex-Salvadoran minister over rights violations

US to deport ex-Salvadoran minister over rights violations

WASHINGTON D.C. — The U.S. upheld this week the deportation order of a former Salvadoran defense minister accused of grave human rights violations, including torture and extrajudicial killings, during the Central American country’s civil war.

Carlos Eugenio Vides Casanova, 78, was defense minister during the 1980-1992 war pitting a U.S.-backed government against leftist rebels, which left some 75,000 dead and another 7,000 missing.

As chief of the Civil Guard and later defense minister, Vides Casanova “participated” in acts of torture and extrajudicial executions by preventing, either by omission or commission, defendants from being taken to trial, the U.S. Board of Immigration Appeals said.

His deportation had been ordered in 2012 but he lodged an appeal against it, arguing that he couldn’t prevent his subordinates from carrying out torture and extrajudicial killings when we has head of the Civil Guard.

That appeal was dismissed on Wednesday by the board, which is the top U.S. immigration authority.

Vides Casanova became head of the National Guard in 1979, and was promoted to defense minister in 1983.

He arrived in the U.S. in 1989 on an immigrant visa, but 20 years later the U.S. government began deportation proceedings over his alleged role in human rights crimes in El Salvador.

Read the Board of Immigration Appeals’ ruling here

Trending Now

Costa Rica and Panama Seek Gold Cup Glory Against North American Giants

With no Caribbean teams advancing, a Central American contingent made up of Panama, Costa Rica, Honduras, and Guatemala heads into the quarterfinals of the...

Costa Rica and U.S. Strengthen Border Scans and Biometric Cooperation

U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem met Wednesday with Honduran President Xiomara Castro to discuss security and migration, following her offer in Costa...

Prisma Dental in Costa Rica Keeps Customers Happy and Smiling

I am 81 years old and have had teeth removed, bridges, and cavities fixed several times to sustain my ability to eat and function....

Costa Rica to Launch Electric Air Taxis for Sustainable Travel in Guanacaste

Costa Rica is poised to revolutionize its transportation landscape with the introduction of electric air taxis, offering a sustainable alternative to traditional ground travel...

Costa Rica’s Pride March 2025 Defies Restrictions and Celebrates Diversity

A large crowd gathered in Paseo Colón, San José, to participate in the LGBTIQ+ Pride March 2025. It began at noon, as people marched...

Costa Rica’s Eyelash Viper Snake Is One of the Most Beautiful

There are at least 141 different species of snakes in Costa Rica. With that large number of species packed into such a tiny nation,...
spot_img
Costa Rica Tours
Costa Rica Coffee Maker Chorreador
Costa Rica Coffee Maker Chorreador
Costa Rica Travel Insurance
Costa Rica Rocking Chait
Costa Rica Travel

Latest News from Costa Rica