Overview

• Argentina’s high court unanimously authorized sending the businessman to the United States, with judges Horacio Rosatti, Carlos Rosenkrantz and Ricardo Lorenzetti signing the decision.
• Machado remains under house arrest in Viedma since his 2021 arrest as he faces U.S. charges that include cocaine trafficking, money laundering and wire‑fraud conspiracy.
• U.S. court records show a $200,000 transfer dated January 22, 2020 in the ‘USA v. Mercer‑Erwin’ case, evidence cited in a 2023 conviction and central to the scrutiny that led José Luis Espert to drop his 2025 bid.
• Federal judge Marcelo Martínez De Giorgi is reported to be holding off on summoning Espert in the illicit financing probe until Machado’s extradition and legal outcome are clarified.
• In new interviews, Machado confirmed a 2019 contract worth more than $200,000, described providing aircraft and logistics to Espert’s 2019 effort, suggested total payments could reach $500,000, and denied involvement in narcotics.