DEA Renews Extradition Request for Alleged Trafficker Known as "El Profe"

The US renews its request to extradite Jonathan Álvarez Alfaro, testing Costa Rica's new constitutional reform amid allegations of international cocaine trafficking.

By: AXL Media

Published: Apr 16, 2026, 11:13 AM EDT

Source: The Tico Times

The Renewed Legal Offensive by the DEA

On April 7, 2026, the Costa Rican Public Prosecutor’s Office received a formal renewed request from the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas for the surrender of Jonathan Álvarez Alfaro. Known by the aliases “El Profe” and “Gato,” Álvarez is wanted on federal charges of conspiracy to manufacture and distribute cocaine intended for the United States. This second attempt by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) follows a period of intense collaboration between U.S. federal agents and Costa Rica's Judicial Investigation Department (OIJ).

Historical Allegations and International Scope

U.S. investigators allege that Álvarez was a central figure in a sophisticated trafficking structure spanning South, Central, and North America. A key piece of evidence cited in the request is his suspected link to a massive 328-kilogram cocaine shipment intercepted by Costa Rican authorities in July 2016. The DEA claims Álvarez's operations were vital in facilitating the movement of bulk narcotics from South American producers through Costa Rican territory to reach the high-demand markets of the United States.

The Constitutional Obstacle: Retroactivity and Reform

The primary hurdle for the extradition lies in a February ruling by the Criminal Sentencing Appeals Court in San José. That court blocked the first U.S. request, arguing that the alleged crimes took place between 2014 and 2021—predating the constitutional reform that took effect on May 28, 2025. Under Costa Rican law, reforms allowing the extradition of nationals generally cannot be applied retroactively. However, the new request aims to navigate these legal waters by potentially presenting evidence of continued criminal conduct that extends past the reform's implementation date.