Argentine government moves to dissolve domestic intelligence agency

[forest444]

The Guardian
Published January 26, 2015
By Jonathan Watts

Argentine government moves to dissolve domestic intelligence agency

Argentina’s president announced a major shakeup of her country’s intelligence network on Monday in her most combative step yet to address the fallout from the death of prosecutor Alberto Nisman.

In her first televised address since the prosecutor’s body was found at his apartment on 18 January, Cristina Fernández de Kirchner said she would support a bill to dissolve the existing structure – which employs more than 2,000 people – and replace it with a new federal intelligence agency.

It follows a protracted struggle with the intelligence agency that has come to light after the suspicious death of Nisman, which the president blames on rogue spies who are trying to undermine her.

Government officials have pointed the finger of blame at spies whom they say were working with Nisman and feeding him wiretap information.

Chief among them is Antonio Stiusso, who until last month was the general director of operations and eavesdropped on the president’s political opponents. He was fired when Fernández discovered he was working with Nisman to build a case against her. He is believed to be in the U.S.

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/jan/27/argentina-government-domestic-intelligence-agency-alberto-nisman

[villager]

1. You try that stuff in America, they have a nice little parade route in Dallas for ya.

n/t

[forest444]

2. I was thinking the same thing

Although in today's Argentina, where National Enquirer politics frames nearly all public affairs discussions, they'll probably go for character assassination, rather than a physical one.

[Judi Lynn]

3. It's about time, if the same system has been in operation since the evil fascist military coup.

This is an excellent idea, hope it will be successful.

Great article, forest. Thank you.

[forest444]

4. You're welcome, Judi.

It's no silver bullet, but it should at least put them under some measure of civilian review.

Much like J. Edgar "Mary" Hoover in his day, Argentina's SIDE has successfully resisted any serious reform in the entire 31 years since the dictatorship left power basically by employing extortion or, typically, just the threat of extortion. Even the otherwise brave Raúl Alfonsín (whose Trial of the Juntas in 1985 marked the first time in history a former dictatorship was tried by a civilian successor) wouldn't touch them. Whatever else can be said about her, this is one brave lady.