| Argentina's President denies charges of campaign corruption & foreign intervention |
|
|
|
Dec.14.- Facing the first allegation within days after becoming the President of Argentina, Christina Fernandez de Kirchner strongly denied U.S. charges that Venezuela tried to illegally influence her election campaign. Terming the charges by U.S. prosecutors as part of a “trashing operation,” Kirchner said, “Trying to operate in regional politics will not be successful,” an apparent reference to Washington.Speaking in the capital Buenos Aires on Thursday, Kirchner said the allegations will in no way affect her efforts to strengthen Argentina's relations with other countries in the continent, especially with Venezuela. Customs officials discovered $800,000 from Guido Antonini Wilson, a Venezuelan-American businessman, when he was flown in to Buenos Aires by the Argentine government on a private jet in August as part of a delegation. Argentine officials issued an extradition warrant when he fled to the U.S. Although the U.S. prosecutors do not accuse Wilson of any crime, Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas Mulvihill said on Wednesday that an FBI recording showed that the money was destined for Kirchner's campaign. Three Venezuelans and a Uruguayan were arrested in connection with the incident. The prosecution said they were undeclared agents and met Wilson in Florida, in an attempt to pressure him to hide the source of the money and its destination. A criminal complaint was also charged against them. Venezuela has also rejected the U.S. accusations as a "fabricated scandal". “It is a desperate effort by the U.S. government using the judicial branch for a political, psychological, and media war against the progressive governments of the continent,” Venezuelan Foreign Minister Nicolas Maduro said. Christina took over from her husband Nestor Kirchner as the first elected woman President of Argentina on Monday ... [ full text from RTTNews ] The charges brought by American prosecutors alleging Venezuela’s involvement have buttressed suspicions among some in Latin America that Mr. Chávez has been trying to use his country’s oil wealth to influence presidential campaigns in the region clandestinely. In Argentina, the case has raised concerns about the tightening bond between the Kirchner government and Mr. Chávez, who has pushed for energy accords with Argentina and to refinance billions of dollars of Argentina’s debt ... [ full text from The New York Times ] |
