WILLEMSTAD — The Council of Ministers of Curaçao has agreed to initiate the procedure to make existing treaties on mutual legal assistance in criminal matters with the United States applicable to Curaçao. The move is aimed at further strengthening the island’s international judicial cooperation.
The decision concerns two existing agreements: the treaty on mutual legal assistance in criminal matters between the European Union and the United States, and the treaty between the Kingdom of the Netherlands and the United States. While these arrangements already apply to other parts of the Kingdom, the government has now approved steps to formally extend their application to Curaçao.
Cooperation in Criminal Investigations
Mutual legal assistance in criminal matters allows judicial authorities in different countries to support one another in criminal investigations and prosecutions. This cooperation can include the exchange of information, requests for evidence, hearing of witnesses and coordinated action in cases involving cross-border crime such as drug trafficking, human trafficking, money laundering and fraud.
As part of the decision, the Council of Ministers has designated the Ministry of Justice as the authority responsible for implementing the agreements. The Minister of Justice will act as the competent authority on behalf of Curaçao in dealings with foreign judicial partners.
According to the government, extending these treaties will strengthen Curaçao’s position within international criminal justice cooperation and contribute to a more effective response to crime with international dimensions.