List of political scandals in Argentina
This article provides a list of political scandals that involve officials from the government or politicians of Argentina.
Cadet scandal (1942)
[edit]In September 1942, a sex and political scandal broke out in Buenos Aires, regarding the involvement of young cadets from the Colegio Militar de la Nación in alleged sex parties held by gay men of the upper classes.[1]
Swiftgate (1991)
[edit]Swift, an American food processing company, wanted to apply for a grant to keep open its facilities in the province of Santa Fe. The presidential adviser Emir Yoma was accused of asking for a commission or kickback in exchange for facilitating the process. In December 1990, the ambassador of the United States, Terence Todman, sent a note to the Argentine government, which backed a complaint from Swift of a bribery request to "speed up" the release of tax paperwork for machinery for its plant in Rosario.[2] As a result of the events, Yoma had to resign for asking the bribe and Antonio Erman Gonzalez left the Ministry of Economy.[3]
Yomagate (1991)
[edit]The cause of Yomagate was an investigation of a cocaine trafficking operation. According to the investigation, large sums of drug money from New York City would have been destined to Argentina, to be laundered by various financial transactions, with the purchase of real estate, jewellery or entrepreneurship. Another portion of the money was to be diverted at the same time to Uruguay.[4] The cause of Yomagate involved Amira Yoma, the secretary and sister-in-law of then Argentine president Carlos Menem, her ex-husband Ibrahim al-Ibrahim (co-director of customs at the Ezeiza airport) and various notorious drug traffickers and launderers like Monzer al-Kassar.[5] Amira Yoma went under preventive detention, which was then overruled by the head of the Chamber the Federal Criminal Court Luisa Riva Aramayo; after which the investigation was cancelled and the investigation cleared all suspects of all charges.[6]
Bombing of the Israeli embassy in Buenos Aires (1992)
[edit]On 17 March 1992, 29 civilians were killed and 242 additional civilians were injured when the Israeli embassy of Argentina was bombed by the Islamic Jihad Organization. President Néstor Kirchner pronounced that the incidenrt, along with the AMIA bombing in 1994, with no real inquiries, equalled a "national disgrace".[7]
Arms exports (1995)
[edit]In 1995 it emerged that illegal arms shipments of 6500 tons of weapons and ammunition had been exported from Argentina to Croatia and Ecuador between 1991 and 1995. At the time of the shipments Croatia was under a United Nations arms embargo, and Argentina was prohibited from selling weapons to Ecuador under the terms of a peace agreement signed in 1942.[8] The Río Tercero explosion was found to have been orchestrated to destroy the evidence of the arms sales.[9]
Disappearance of Jorge Julio López (2006)
[edit]Jorge Julio López, a retired bricklayer who was kidnapped during the National Reorganization Process, a disappeared again during the democratic government of Néstor Kirchner after testifying in trial against the convicted murderer Miguel Etchecolatz.[10] As of 2022[update], Jorge Julio López remains missing.
Suitcase scandal (2007)
[edit]A scandal involving Venezuela and Argentina, souring the relations between the countries.[11]
Agrarian strikes (2008)
[edit]In March 2008, Cristina Fernández de Kirchner's government introduced a new sliding-scale taxation system for agricultural exports, effectively raising levies on soybean exports to 44% from 35% at the time of the announcement.[12] The aim was to raise government funds for social investment by increasing the government's share of returns from rising world grain prices, and also to reduce domestic food prices by encouraging farmers to switch to growing staple foods like wheat and corn, rather than export crops such as soybeans. Farmers, on the other hand, felt that the export duties were already too high.[13] Strikes ensued until July when the tariffs on agricultural exports were returned by the government.[14][15]
Triple crime (2008)
[edit]After three pharmaceutical businessmen, Sebastián Forza, Damián Ferrón, and Leopoldo Bina, were tortured and murdered in 2008, an investigation ensued. The investigations in the following days revealed that the three men had ties with narcotics trafficking cartels. The drugstore of José Luis Salerno, a former associate of Ferrón's, was closed. Forza and Ferrón had a lab in Ingeniero Maschwitz that manufactured illegal drugs.[16] The import of ephedrine into Argentina was restricted a month later, limiting it only to the labs that prepare legal drugs that contain it.[17] It was also discovered that Forza financed the political campaign of Cristina Fernández de Kirchner during the 2007 general elections.[16] The suspects were arrested and found guilty.
In December 2015, three of the incarcerated broke out of prison. Governor María Eugenia Vidal fired the leaders of the jailing system of the Buenos Aires province, who were suspected of having abetted the escape. They were later found and returned to prison[18]
Kirchners and the media (2009)
[edit]The Governments of Néstor Kirchner and Cristina Fernández de Kirchner had several conflicts with major media groups. Kirchner accused the Clarín Group, La Nación, Perfil, and related media of having promoted their overthrow.[19]
Buenos Aires wiretapping case (2009)
[edit]In October 2009, Sergio Burstein, a leader of the Jewish community who had led the opposition against the appointment of Fino Palacios as Police Chief due to his connections with the 1994 AMIA terrorist attack, criminally denounced that he was being spied on by the Police of the City of Buenos Aires.[20]
In October 2018, the National Chamber of Criminal Cassation annulled the entire case.[21]
Schoklender scandal (2011)
[edit]Sergio Schoklender, known for his murder of his parents in 1981, was accused of embezzlement of public funds for a project arranged by the Mothers of the Plaza de Mayo.[22]
Boudougate (2012)
[edit]Vice President Amado Boudou was accused of being involved in the Revocation of the bankruptcy of the Ciccone Calcográfica printing house.[23] In August 2018, following a lengthy investigation, he was convicted of corruption. He was then sentenced to five years and ten months in prison, and banned for life from holding public office.[24]
The Route of the K-Money (2013)
[edit]An investigation, led by journalist Jorge Lanata found evidence of embezzlement and an associated money trail involving businessman Lázaro Báez. In mid-2020 he was transferred to house arrest as the proceedings were put on hold due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[25] After two days of popular protests Báez was moved again to a secret location where he awaits trial under police custody.[26]
Hotesur scandal (2014)
[edit]Hotesur was a firm that administered the hotels in El Calafate that belong to Cristina Fernández de Kirchner and her family. Initially, it was suspected of not paying taxes, but the investigation headed by judge Claudio Bonadio led to suspicions about a possible case of money laundering, involving the businessman Lázaro Báez as well. As a result, the government attempted to force an impeachment of Bonadio.[27]
Alberto Nisman (2015)
[edit]Alberto Nisman, a lawyer who specialized in international terrorism was found shot in the head in his apartment in Buenos Aires on 19 January 2015.[28]
Noble siblings case (2016)
[edit]A case concerning the biological identity of Marcela and Felipe Noble Herrera, adoptive daughter and son of Ernestina Herrera de Noble, owner of Grupo Clarín.[29] The Grandmothers of the Plaza de Mayo believe them to be children of women who disappeared during the Dirty War, and have requested samples for DNA profiling to compare with their database of victim families. Marcela and Felipe rejected the study. The administrations of both presidents Néstor and Cristina Kirchner supported a compulsory blood collection in order to carry out the DNA profiling. The opposing parties and legal precedence, on the other hand, support the Nobles right to privacy.[30]
José López scandal (2016)
[edit]In 2016, José Francisco López, a low-profile politician who worked at the Ministry of Federal Planning, Public Investment and Services under minister Julio de Vido during the presidencies of Néstor and Cristina Fernández de Kirchner, was detained in compromising circumstances, while allegedly trying to hide bags containing millions of dollars in a convent.[31]
Spying on families of ARA San Juan (2017)
[edit]In 2017 it was revealed that the Federal Intelligence Agency (AFI) had engaged in illegal spying and monitoring of the families of the victims of the disappearance of ARA San Juan.[32]
Notebook scandal (2018)
[edit]Driver Óscar Centeno alleged that he had frequently carried bags filled with US dollars to several locations, including public buildings and even the personal house of Cristina Fernández de Kirchner. Those bags would be payments for bribes.[33] The prosecutors of the case asked for a search and seizure raid at the houses of Cristina Fernández de Kirchner.
Argentine COVID-19 vaccination scandal (2021)
[edit]Literary critic Beatriz Sarlo denounced that she was offered to be vaccinated "under the table," but refused to identify the people who did it. Faced with the complaint, Fernán Quirós, the Minister of Health of the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires, indicated that this did not happen in his jurisdiction.[34] As a result of the scandal the country's Minister of Health Ginés González García resigned from office.[35]
Attempted assassination of Cristina Fernández de Kirchner (2022)
[edit]On 1 September 2022, vice president Cristina Fernández de Kirchner was the target of an assassination attempt. A man approached her as she met with supporters outside of her official residence in Recoleta, Buenos Aires.[36]
Disappearance of Cecilia Strzyzowksi (2023)
[edit]The suspected femicide of a woman implicates her boyfriends parents who were candidates in the 2023 Argentine provincial elections.[37] Emerenciano Sena and Marcela Acuña were leaders of the United Socialists political party and candidates for the Chaco Province.[38]
References
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- ^ Peruzzotti, Enrique; Smulovitz, Catalina (7 April 2006). Enforcing the Rule of Law: Social Accountability in the New Latin American. ISBN 9780822972884.
- ^ "El famoso caso de las valijas de Amira Yoma" [The famous case of the suitcases of Amira Yoma]. La nacion (in Spanish). lanacion.com.ar. Retrieved 11 November 2019.
- ^ Marshall, J. (2012). The Lebanese Connection: Corruption, Civil War, and the International Drug Traffic. Stanford University Press. p. 232. ISBN 9780804782562. Retrieved 2 January 2015.
- ^ Waisbord, S.R. (2013). Watchdog Journalism in South America: News, Accountability, and Democracy. Columbia University Press. p. 77. ISBN 9780231506540. Retrieved 2 January 2015.
- ^ "Terror, død og diplomati". Dagbladet. 18 July 1994. Retrieved 4 March 2013.
- ^ "Former Argentine leader Menem to serve 7 years for arms smuggling". The Daily Telegraph. 14 June 2013. Retrieved 25 August 2016.
- ^ "Explosiones Río Tercero: La causa penal : Argentina Indymedia (( i ))". archivo.argentina.indymedia.org. Retrieved 2022-09-09.
- ^ National Office of Records of Disappeared Persons, Jorge Julio López.
- ^ Schweimler, Daniel (14 August 2007). "Argentina probes cash-filled case". BBC News. Retrieved 14 August 2007.
- ^ "Argentine Soybean Output May Slip; Protests May Pause". Bloomberg. 9 March 2008. Retrieved 29 April 2008.
- ^ McDonnell, Patrick J. (19 July 2008). "Argentina ends grain tax hike". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on 3 August 2008. Retrieved 19 July 2008.
- ^ Derogaron la polémica resolución 125
- ^ "Argentina's Fernández Plays With Fire". The Guardian. London. 1 April 2008. Archived from the original on 7 April 2008. Retrieved 29 April 2008.
- ^ a b "Los puntos clave del Triple Crimen del que acusan a Aníbal F." [Key points of the Triple Crime that Aníbal F. is being accused of] (in Spanish). Perfil. August 3, 2015. Retrieved August 10, 2015.
- ^ Nicolás Pizzi (August 3, 2014). "Kirchner conocía la trama de la importación irregular de efedrina" [Kirchner knew about the plot to irregularly import ephedrine] (in Spanish). Clarín. Retrieved August 11, 2015.
- ^ "Triple crimen: cronología de la fuga que mantuvo en vilo al país". lanacion.com.ar. 12 January 2016. (in Spanish)
- ^ "Argentine government accuses Clarín and La Nación of conspiring with military regimes". MercoPress. Retrieved 2022-09-09.
- ^ "Horacio Alberto Gimenez, Buenos Aires City Chief of the Metropolitan Police, Argentina INTERVIEWED BY SEBASTIÁN SAL", Trends in Policing, 1 Edition. | New York : Routledge, [2017] | Series: Interviews: Routledge, pp. 55–68, 2016-11-18, doi:10.1201/9781315390543-13, ISBN 9781315373584, retrieved 2022-09-09
{{citation}}: CS1 maint: location (link) - ^ "La Cámara Federal confirmó que Macri no va a juicio por las escuchas telefónicas ilegales" [The Federal Chamber confirmed that Macri will not be judged for the illegal phone tapping] (in Spanish). Infobae. July 17, 2015. Retrieved July 17, 2015.
- ^ "La estafa de las Madres de Mayo". Abc.es. 16 June 2011. Retrieved 26 November 2021.
- ^ "Arden las redes sociales mientras la oposición duerme" [The social networks get red hot while the opposition sleeps] (in Spanish). Urgente 24. April 4, 2012. Retrieved May 5, 2012.
- ^ "Argentina's former Vice-President Amado Boudou jailed for corruption". BBC News. 7 August 2018. Retrieved 12 August 2018.
- ^ "Lázaro Báez dejó la cárcel: el tribunal oral le concedió la prisión domiciliaria en su casa de Ayres del Pilar" [Lázaro Baes leaves prison: oral tribunal grants him house arrest] (in Spanish). La Nacion. September 8, 2020. Retrieved November 7, 2020.
- ^ "Lázaro Báez cumple la prisión domiciliaria en un lugar que se mantiene en secreto" [Lázaro Baes under house arrest in an undisclosed location] (in Spanish). Telam. September 10, 2020. Retrieved November 7, 2020.
- ^ Taos Turner (November 27, 2014). "Argentine Probe Sparks Dispute Between Government, Judiciary". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved December 4, 2014.
- ^ «Para Gendarmería, el fiscal Alberto Nisman fue "asesinado"», published 20 September 2017 El Día (Buenos Aires).
- ^ "Offnews.info | Inteligencia y Seguridad, Terrorismo Internacional, Transparencia, Corrupcion, Politica y Economia". www.offnews.info. Retrieved 2022-09-09.
- ^ "Fuerte rechazo al allanamiento de los Noble Herrera". La Nacion (in Spanish). 31 May 2010. Retrieved 11 November 2019.
- ^ "Argentina ex-minister arrested over cash bags at monastery". BBC. June 15, 2016. Retrieved November 1, 2016.
- ^ Bertoia, Luciana (28 October 2021). "ARA San Juan: Cómo fue el espionaje de la AFI macrista a los familiares de los tripulantes". Página 12.
- ^ "Argentina notebook scandal: Driver details 'decade of bribes'". BBC. August 2, 2018. Retrieved August 27, 2018.
- ^ "Vacunas: la respuesta de Quirós a la denuncia de Sarlo". LA NACION (in Spanish). 2021-02-05. Retrieved 2022-09-09.
- ^ "Argentine health minister resigns amid vaccine scandal". AP NEWS. 19 February 2021. Retrieved 19 February 2021.
- ^ Goñi, Uki; Phillips, Tom; Jones, Sam (2 September 2022). "Cristina Fernández de Kirchner: arrest after attempted shooting of Argentina vice-president". The Guardian. Retrieved 2 September 2022.
- ^ Benavides, Sofía (2023-06-15). "Caso Cecilia Strzyzowski: qué pasó con ella y cómo va la investigación". CNN (in Spanish). Retrieved 2023-12-01.
- ^ Jaureguy, Martina (2023-06-14). "Two former Chaco candidates charged with murder in femicide investigation". Buenos Aires Herald. Retrieved 2023-12-01.