Case Against Argentine President Moves Forward

The Argentine prosecutor who inherited a high-profile case against President Cristina Fernandez reaffirmed the accusations Friday, formally renewing the investigation into whether she helped Iranian officials cover up their alleged role in the 1994 bombing of a Jewish community center.

A top government official called the move a “judicial coup.”

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. The next day, Nisman was scheduled to elaborate his accusations to Congress.

Nisman 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 and Timerman have strongly denied the accusations, and Iran has denied involvement in the bombing, which killed 85 people.

Meanwhile, three other prosecutors and a coordinator were named on Friday to take over Nisman’s general investigation into the bombing itself, which he had led for 10 years. No one has been convicted in the case.

This article appeared in print on page 3 of the February 16th, 2015 edition of Hamodia.