Cuevas-Esquivel v. United States

How later courts describe this case

• holding that an evidentiary hearing was unnecessary because discovery placed all the facts essential to deciding the petitioner’s claim before the court
• upholding the conviction of a defendant who testified that he was only paid $33 to be a crew member on board a boat carrying marijuana
• "Without an official protest, we cannot conclude that Honduras has objected to Matta's arrest. Therefore Matta’s claims of violations of international law do not entitle him to relief.”
• "Treaties are designed to protect the sovereign interest of nations, and it is up to the offended nations to determine whether a violation of sovereign interests has occurred and requires redress"
• held that “[i]t is well established that individuals have no standing to challenge violations of international treaties in the absence of a protest by the sovereign involved”
• “Common sense ... dictates that if the facts as alleged by the applicant do not entitle him to relief, a hearing at which the applicant may prove those facts is useless.”
• “stateless” for purposes of jurisdiction