JusticeinArgentina

ThepresidentandtheprosecutorAtragicturntoaterrorinvestigationwilltestthecountrysinstitutions

Jan24th2015|BUENOSAIRES| Fromtheprintedition

THEsloganYosoyNisman(IamNisman)

appearedfirstasaTwitterhashtagandthenon

placardsheldaloftthisweekbydemonstrators

outsidetheresidenceofArgentinaspresident,

CristinaFernndezdeKirchner.Theydemanded

justiceforAlbertoNisman,afederalprosecutor

whodiedfromagunshotonJanuary18th.The

protesterssuspectfoulplay.MrNismandiedjust

hoursbeforehewasduetolayoutbeforeacongressionalcommitteeevidenceforhisaccusation

thatMsFernndezhadtriedtoobstructtheinvestigationofArgentinasworstterroristact,the

bombingofaJewishcentrein1994.

YetthecauseofMrNismansviolentdeathisnotentirelyclear.Perhaps,asthedemonstrators

believe,hewaskilledbyforcesintentonstoppinghisinquiryintoagovernmentconspiracyto

coverupresponsibilityforthebombing.Orperhapsthetruthissomethingelseentirely.

Whatisindisputable,though,isthatnoonehasyetbeenconvictedforthebombinginBuenos

Aires,inwhich86people(includingtheterrorist)diedandhundredswereinjured.Argentinas

Jewishcommunity,theworldsseventhlargest,haslongbelievedthatIranplannedtheattack

andthatHizbullah,aLebanonbasedShiamilitiacumpoliticalparty,carrieditout.Thatview

issecondedbythestateofIsrael.ArgentinahasissuedarrestwarrantsforIranianofficials

thoughttohavemastermindedthemassacre.

TheallegationsbyMrNisman,thechiefinvestigatorofthebombing,weresensational.Ina300

pagedocumentfiledwithacourtonJanuary14th,heclaimedthatMsFernndez,theforeign

minister,HctorTimerman,andothershadopenedsecretnegotiationswithIrantoabsolvethe

IraniansuspectsinreturnforadealunderwhichArgentinacouldswapgrainforbadlyneeded

oil.Onefruitofthosetalks,MrNismansaid,wasthetruthcommissionthatArgentinaand

Iranagreedtosetupin2013,whichinfuriatedtheJewishcommunity.Forreasonsthatare

unclear,theproposedoilforexonerationdealfellapart.

MsFernndezsspokesmandismissedtheprosecutorsallegationsasridiculous,andMr

Timermandeniedthem.ButbeforeMrNismanhadachancetopresenttheminCongresshe

wasfounddeadinhisbathroom,besidea.22calibrepistolandabulletcasing.Papersrelated

tohiscongressionalmeetingwereunfurledonhisdesk.

Thefrontdoortohisapartmenthadbeenlockedfromtheinside.Theinvestigatingprosecutor

saidthatnootherpersonhadbeeninvolvedintheshooting,butdidnotruleoutthe

possibilityofinducedsuicide.Associatessayhefearedforhislifebutshowednosignsof

wantingtokillhimself.Nosuicidenotewasfound.

WhatmattersnowisthathisdeathisproperlyinvestigatedandthatArgentinesbelievethe

results,whatevertheymaybe.Onbothcountstherearereasonsfordoubt.Accordingtoarecent

pollbyLatinobarmetro,onlyathirdofArgentineshaveanyconfidenceinthepoliceforceand

thejusticesystem.Thiscynicismismostlyjustified,sayslvaroHerrerooftheLaboratoryfor

PublicPolicies,athinktank.Argentinaspoliceandjudiciaryarepassableatsolvingsimple

crimes,hesays.Butwhenpowerpoliticaloreconomicisinvolved,theirefficiency

plummets.Corruptioncasesagainstseniorpoliticiansdragonforyearswithoutaverdict.

MsFernndezhasbeentryingtoappointloyalistsasjudgesandprosecutors.InDecembershe

replacedthetoptwoofficialsoftheintelligenceservice,whichhadhelpedMrNisman,with

peopleloyaltoher.Thathasfedsuspicionsofpresidentialmeddlingintheinvestigation.Mr

Herrerothinksitveryunlikelythatwellgetthetruthinthiscase.

ArgentinasJewishcommunityhashelddemonstrationsonanniversariesofthebombingto

demandthetrialandpunishmentoftheperpetrators.Thethousandsnowincitiesacrossthe

countryrepresentabroadergroup,akintothepotbangerswhothrongedthestreetsinrecent

yearstoprotestagainstcorruptionandrisingprices.IfitturnsoutthatMrNismanwas

murderedtostophisinvestigationthehuntforculpritscouldleadtosocialandpoliticalchaos,

saysSergioBerensztein,apoliticalpundit.Theimplicationsofsuicide,whiletroubling,areless

explosive.

Unsurprisingly,MsFernndezeagerlyendorsedthetentativefindingthatMrNismanhadkilled

himself.Whatwasitthatbroughtapersontomaketheterribledecisiontotaketheirownlife?

shewonderedinaramblingFacebookpost.ShehasorderedtheArgentineintelligenceagency

todeclassifydocumentsrelatedtotheallegedcoverup.Thisiswelcome.Itwilltakemore

transparencystilltopersuadeherfellowcitizensthatMrNismandiedbyhisownhand.

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