News Digest

In spite of scandal, case against Argentine president moves forward

The prosecutor who inherited a high-profile case against Argentine President Cristina Fernandez on Friday reaffirmed the accusations, formally renewing the investigation into whether the president helped Iranian officials cover up their alleged role in the 1994 bombing of a Jewish community center. Prosecutor Gerardo Pollicita’s decision to go forward with the case was significant because it sets the stage for a close examination of the investigation that prosecutor Alberto Nisman was building before he was found dead Jan. 18. Nisman had accused Fernandez, Foreign Minister Hector Timerman and others in her administration of brokering the cover up in exchange for favorable deals on oil and other goods from Iran. Fernandez has strongly denied the accusations, and Iran has repeatedly denied involvement in the bombing, which killed 85 people.

Regardless of who did it, it is as scandalous a political death as we have had in 30 years, that’s why everyone is so upset.

anonymous prosecutor to Reuters

Nisman’s death laid bare a deep-seated culture of intimidation and meddling in Argentina’s courts. Argentina’s judiciary turned a blind eye to the murder of thousands of suspected leftists during 1976-83 military dictatorship and in the three decades since democracy was restored, Argentines have grown weary of grand-scale corruption scandals. When prosecutors are appointed to investigate, they are often intimidated and cases shut down. Polls show a strong majority of Argentines expect never to know the truth behind Nisman’s demise.