Bolivia deports Argentine 'Dirty War' officer Paez Published duration 11 August 2014

image copyright Bolivian Interior Ministry image caption Jorge Horacio Paez was arrested on Friday in the central Bolivian city of Santa Cruz

Bolivia says it has extradited an Argentine ex-officer accused of crimes against humanity committed under Argentina's military rule (1976-1983).

The officer, Jorge Horacio Paez Senestrari, was captured on Friday in the Bolivian city of Santa Cruz.

He is accused of torture and aggravated homicide in Argentina's north-western San Juan province.

An estimated 30,000 people were tortured and killed during this period, in a campaign known as the "Dirty War".

On the run

Mr Paez, 68, had been on the run since 2011 and Interpol had issued a red notice, the highest possible alert, for his arrest.

He was detained in an apartment he had rented in Santa Cruz, which police said he only left at night for an hour at a time to buy basic supplies.

Bolivian Interior Minister Jorge Perez said Mr Paez had "played a direct role in Operation Condor", a plan under which the military governments of Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Paraguay and Uruguay collaborated to eliminate their political opponents in the 1970s and '80s.

Mr Paez served as a captain in the 22nd Mountain Infantry Regiment.

He had been held in a prison in the Argentine province of San Juan pending his trial, but a court had ordered his release in 2011.

When he failed to attend a court hearing, police issued an international warrant for his arrest.

His trial on charges of crimes against humanity is now expected to resume.

Investigations into human rights abuses committed under Argentine military rule have led to the imprisonment of key figures of the military junta, including that of Gen Jorge Rafael Videla who died in prison last year while serving a life sentence.