San Juan.- The alleged Dominican drug trafficker César Emilio Peralta, known as “El Abusador”, filed a civil lawsuit for $7 million against the government of the United States and the Metropolitan Detention Center (MDC) in Guaynabo, Puerto Rico, alleging violations of his constitutional rights due to alleged medical negligence while he remains in federal custody.
Peralta, arrested in Colombia in 2019 and extradited to the United States in 2021, faces federal charges for directing an alleged transnational drug trafficking organization with operations from the Caribbean to the U.S. According to the authorities, he was considered a CPOT (Consolidated Priority Organization Target), a classification reserved for the most impactful drug traffickers, similar to the case of Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán.
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In November 2022, the Dominican pleaded guilty to several charges of conspiracy to import cocaine, although sentencing hearings have been repeatedly postponed, with parts of the process under seal.
Since his entry into prison, Peralta has requested medical attention for various health conditions. He alleges that his claims have been ignored, which motivated the lawsuit. However, federal judge Camille Vélez Rivé dismissed a motion for a preliminary injunction, considering that he did not present sufficient evidence and did not exhaust the internal administrative processes of the prison.
According to the magistrate, Peralta did not clearly identify the officials involved nor did he provide specific details about the alleged denials of medical treatment. Although she acknowledged the inmate’s difficulties, the judge emphasized that, as a federal prisoner, Peralta does not have the right to choose his doctor or the type of treatment he receives.
Currently, the defendant’s defense has appealed the decision to the First Circuit Court of Appeals in Boston. The defendants have until May 27 to respond to the motion. In the meantime, the case continues its course amid an extensive legal battle.
