When his political immunity was revoked on February 19, 2004, Portillo immediately fled to Mexico. On August 16, 2004, immigration authorities there granted him a year-long work visa. He then lived in Mexico City in an apartment in one of the city's most exclusive neighbourhoods. Portillo was accused of authorizing $15 million in transfers to the Guatemalan defense department, where authorities believe most of the money was stolen by his associates. After a long process, Mexico's foreign ministry approved Portillo's extradition back to Guatemala on October 30, 2006. His actual extradition did not occur until October 7, 2008.