Former Argentine President Cristina Fernandez Detained

Edited by Jorge Ruiz Miyares
2017-12-08 08:43:16

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Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner (File Photo)

Buenos Aires, December 8 (RHC-Agencies)-- Former Argentine President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner has been placed in pretrial detention, prompting Argentinian social movements and political organizations to mobilize and demand the "rule of law."

Federal judge Claudio Bonadio alleged that Fernandez committed "treason against the fatherland" and "aggravated cover-up" in connection with the involvement of five Iranian officials in the bombing of the Israeli-Argentine Mutualist Association (AMIA) building in Buenos Aires in 1994.

The judge claimed Thursday that in signing a memorandum of understanding with Iranian officials in Argentina in 2013, Fernandez had agreed to not investigate possible Iranian involvement in the attack, thus "aggravating" the inquiry and granting the alleged bombers impunity.

Fernandez, who was sworn in as senator last week, now faces between 10 years and life in prison. She has responded by rejecting the claims, saying they are against the State of Law and democracy in the country.

"From a legal point of view, this is a nonsense, an excess; these measures not only violate the rule of law, but seek to cause personal and political harm to opponents, their career, their ideas... it has nothing to do with justice and democracy," Fernandez declared during a press conference.

Describing the judge's ruling as a "smokescreen," she argued that the prosecution against her has "no cause." "Bonadio knows it, the government knows it, President Macri knows it, too."

She also reiterated that the "harassment and humiliation... further degrade the Argentine justice system and point to the government and President Macri as most responsible for a political and judicial organization persecuting the opposition."

Demonstrations began in Bueno Aires' Plaza de Mayo late Thursday, with protesters marching toward government buildings to promote the message "Freedom to all political prisoners in Argentina!"



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