Guatemala's attorney general on Tuesday announced the extradition to the United States of Luis Enrique Martinelli, the son of embattled Panamanian former President Ricardo Martinelli, on money laundering charges.

Guatemala's announcement came days before Vice President Harris lands in Guatemala City, where she's expected to focus on anti-corruption measures as part of her plan to address the root causes of regional migration.

Martinelli and his brother, Ricardo, are both under arrest in Guatemala, with Ricardo's extradition to the United States still pending.

Former President Martinelli, under investigation for money laundering in Panama, criticized the decision, accusing Panama's foreign ministry of not defending his sons' alleged diplomatic immunity.

The former president in 2019 beat charges of espionage in Panama after being extradited from Miami to face those charges in Panama.

Guatemalan authorities in February impounded an aircraft belonging to the former Panamanian president, according to a report by Reuters.

The younger Martinellis are under indictment by the Eastern District of New York for alleged money laundering, in a case that involves Brazilian industrial giant Odebrecht.

Odebrecht is at the center of an ongoing continentwide bribery scandal involving officials from at least 10 countries.

Guatemala's decision to extradite Luis Enrique Martinelli comes as U.S. officials have shown signs of distrust in their Guatemalan interlocutors.

Guatemala's Congress last month refused to swear in Gloria Porras, a judge known for her anticorruption work in the country, forcing her to leave the country.

Harris, who is the point person in charge of the Biden administration's intended $4 billion investment in Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador, last week hosted Porras and two other women known for their human rights and anticorruption work in the country.

Harris and other Biden administration officials have been increasingly open in signaling that large chunks of the aid from the root causes initiative are likely to go to civil society groups in the region, rather than central governments or large corporations, as had been the practice in the past.

"Injustice is a root cause of migration," tweeted Harris after the meeting.

"Today, I met with Guatemalan justice leaders to discuss the need for transparent and impartial legal systems in the region. I look forward to working with many stakeholders to help Guatemalans build a safer and better future at home," she added.