Thousand faces of Latin American support for Iran
By Tony Pagliaro
22.03.06 | It is certainly no secret that Venezuela supports Iran´s efforts to become a nuclear power. Hugo Chávez does not hide such fact. However, very few know that Argentina may also be supporting Iran. In a different way, of course. Let’s deal with it.
Over a decade ago, two major terrorist attacks against the Embassy of Israel and AMIA (an Israeli welfare institution in Buenos Aires) caused dozens of Argentine casualties. People of Jewish origin and people of other origins were killed and injured. The subsequent judicial investigation, by Argentine Federal Judge, Juan José Galeano, went nowhere. A clear “Iranian connection” (related to officers of the Buenos Aires Iranian Embassy) was not investigated and everything was put “on hold” for over a decade. The two unfortunate cases remain thus unsolved, until this day. Judge Galeano was recently impeached and fired. Constant pressure from the Argentine Jewish community probably helped in causing his dismissal. Nevertheless, it is well known that many Argentine Federal Judges are, in fact, “functional” to those in power, and ready to “cooperate” with them. Three years ago another Argentine Federal Judge, Claudio Bonadio, was asked to investigate how and why Judge Galeano's “investigation” of the two terrorist attacks mentioned above had not produced any results, i.e. why it had been so suspiciously ineffective and slow.
“Dynamic” Judge Bonadio, as “investigator” of his colleague's behavior did not move forward on such issue at all, for over two years, and therefore ended up been “investigated” himself.
Bonadio is now confronting impeachment procedures. But rumors abound that since he is very “functional” to the Kirchners (particularly to “Queen Cristina”) he will not be fired.
How can a Judge be functional to the Kirchners? Easy. Let’s see Bonadio’s case. He was probably asked from the top to “refuse” two extraditions that were to be resolved by his tribunal. First one having to do with a well known ETA terrorist. Second another having to do with a Chilean terrorist that had murdered in cold blood a Chilean conservative Senator and, also, kidnapped the son of the owner of the Chilean leading newspaper, “El Mercurio”, Mr. Edwards. Bonadio refused to grant both extraditions, arguing that terrorism is not a “crime against humanity”. In exchange for this he will now be “saved” from being fired.
The Kirchners do control the “Consejo de la Magistratura” that is key to appointing and disciplining judges. In the mean time, the Iranian “connection” with the terrorist attacks against the Embassy of Israel and AMIA is fading away and both attacks remain as unsolved “puzzles”.
Not only Chavez sympathizes with Iran. The Kirchners do too. This is why they will protect Judge Bonadio, who (probably following instructions) did not investigate Judge Galeano’s unusual and improper behavior. Not firing Bonadio will clearly evidence that the Kirchners are also covering-up Iran, as many Argentines believe. A very sad and dangerous situation, that many in the Rio de la Plata area fear is exactly what is going on.
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