Fernando Melciades Zevallos González, also known as Fernando Melciades Zevallos Gonzáles, is the founder and owner of what was
Peru
, image_flag = Flag of Peru.svg
, image_coat = Escudo nacional del Perú.svg
, other_symbol = Great Seal of the State
, other_symbol_type = Seal (emblem), National seal
, national_motto = "Fi ...
's largest airline,
Aero Continente
Nuevo Continente was a passenger airline based in Lima, Peru, operating scheduled domestic and international flights out of Jorge Chavez International Airport.
History
The airline was founded by Fernando Zevallos in 1992 as ''Aero Conti ...
. The airline operated from 1992 until 2004, but was forced to close that year after Mr Zevallos was added to America's list of
drug kingpin
A drug lord, drug baron, kingpin or narcotrafficker is a high-ranking crime boss who controls a sizable network of people involved in the illegal drug trade. Such figures are often difficult to bring to justice, as they are normally not directly ...
s, with the airline being placed on a blacklist of companies with links to
drug traffic
The illegal drug trade or drug trafficking is a global black market dedicated to the cultivation, manufacture, distribution and sale of drug prohibition, prohibited drugs. Most jurisdictions prohibitionism, prohibit trade, except under license, ...
kers. The moves prevented American companies from doing business with the airline. This meant that Aero Continente could neither buy spare parts for its US-built planes nor insure them. It quickly collapsed.
Zevallos was born on July 8, 1957, in
Mariscal Cáceres Province,
San Martín Region, Perú.
He graduated from the
Peruvian Air Force
The Peruvian Air Force ( es, link=no, Fuerza Aérea del Perú, FAP) is the branch of the Peruvian Armed Forces tasked with defending the nation and its interests through the use of air power. Additional missions include assistance in safeguardin ...
Academy, becoming a pilot. In 1976 and following his father's death, he retired from the Air Force to look after his father's estate. He had inherited a considerable amount of money.
In 1978, the Peruvian government began a campaign of tax incentives for companies that invested in the Peruvian jungle. The Zevallos family decided to incorporate an
air taxi
An air taxi is a small commercial aircraft that makes short flights on demand.
In 2001 air taxi operations were promoted in the United States by a NASA and aerospace industry study on the potential Small Aircraft Transportation System (SATS) an ...
company called ''TAUSA'', with the aim of offering aerial services to the villages of the Peruvian jungle which were not served by suitable terrestrial transport. The company was not successful and Zevallos emigrated to the
United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...
.
During this period, he founded a new company, Aero Continente. At the end of 1994, he settled in the USA permanently, prompting him to give up his shares of the company. He quit the board of Aero Continente in January 1995, later becoming an adviser.
Aero Continente grew to become one of Peru's leading airlines. But on the eve of 2004's Copa America in Peru, Aero Continente was grounded. Persistent allegations of money-laundering and drug-trafficking had dogged the company for years. At this point, the US authorities added Zavallos to their list of drug kingpins. Unable to secure insurance for its fleet, Aero Continente was grounded.
Accusations and charges
Fernando Zevallos has been the subject of more than 30 investigations according to the US
Drug Enforcement Administration
The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA; ) is a Federal law enforcement in the United States, United States federal law enforcement agency under the U.S. Department of Justice tasked with combating drug trafficking and distribution within th ...
, although none of these have led to any criminal charges. On 2004 he was put on the US's list of drug kingpins under the
Foreign Narcotics Kingpin Designation Act
The Foreign Narcotics Kingpin Designation Act, better known as the Kingpin Act, is landmark federal legislation in the United States intended to address international narcotics trafficking by imposing United States sanctions on foreign persons a ...
, labeling him one of the top drug-traffickers in the world. Terry Parham, director of the US Drug Enforcement Administration's Lima office, went on record as describing Zevallos as the "Al Capone of Perú".
The founder of Aero Continente has denied any connection with drug trafficking and has demanded that the United States government show proof of such accusations. Neither Aero Continente nor its founder Zevallos were ever tried or found guilty of these accusations prior to their addition to the list. Zevallos has been a
Permanent legal resident of the United States for over 15 years and was quoted as calling his inclusion to The Foreign Narcotics Kingpin Designation Act "unconstitutional" since he was denied his right to due process.
In his home country, Zevallos had faced charges of contract murder, cocaine trafficking and money laundering, but had never been convicted of any such allegation. In November 2005, a Peruvian court found him guilty of drugs-trafficking offenses. He was sentenced to 20 years in jail and barred from holding public office. This was his only conviction, and he was convicted over a year following his inclusion to the controversial Kingpin Act. Zevallos's attorney claims that due to the tremendous pressure of the United States Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the Bush administration, a conviction in Peru was just a matter of time. Zevallos' defense appeal is still pending, due to be heard by Peru's Supreme Court. Zevallos has also filed a complaint to the
Inter-American Court of Human Rights
The Inter-American Court of Human Rights (IACHR or IACtHR) is an international court based in San José, Costa Rica. Together with the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, it was formed by the American Convention on Human Rights, a huma ...
.
In November 2006, accusations emerged to suggest Zevallos had deep links with Peru's disgraced former spy-chief,
Vladimiro Montesinos
Vladimiro Lenin Ilich Montesinos Torres (born 20 May 1945) is a former long-standing head of Peru's intelligence service, National Intelligence Service (SIN), under President Alberto Fujimori. In the year 2000, the infamous "Vladi-videos" came ...
. The accusations were made by convicted drug dealer Jorge ''Polaco'' Chavez Montoya. Both Zevallos and Montesinos have denied any links.
In July 2007 he was indicted for allegedly conspiring to violate the Foreign Narcotics Kingpin Designation Act.
In September 2007 a request, on behalf of Fernando Zevallos, was made to the United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, requesting that he be extradited to the United States of America to face charges. Peru and the United States have an extradition treaty that allows the extradition of individuals for a specific short period, while facing trial or even after conviction. The request was denied, but Zevallos’ defense has requested his extradition to the United States again in January 2009.
References
External links
Charges presented against Fernando Zevallos"US files its first indictment under Drug Kingpin Act" World Check, 28 July 2007
{{DEFAULTSORT:Zevallos, Fernando
1957 births
Living people
People from San Martín Region
Peruvian drug traffickers
Peruvian businesspeople
People sanctioned under the Foreign Narcotics Kingpin Designation Act