"Systematic" espionage against judges leads to federal probe against Argentina's Macri

[sandensea]

A federal court in Argentina today authorized an investigation of President Mauricio Macri after documents emerged showing wide-reaching surveillance carried out against the nation's federal judiciary.

The probe, authorized on Thursday by Federal Judge Rodolfo Canicoba Corral, involves espionage carried out over the last two years against at least 20 federal judges and Supreme Court Justice Juan Carlos Maqueda.

Documents first obtained by El Destape show that the alleged espionage involves the Ministry of Security, the Federal Police, the Federal Revenue Agency (AFIP), the Financial Information Unit (UIF), the Attorney General's office, Naval Prefecture, the City Police, Gendarmerie (which monitors movements in and out of the country), and the Supreme Court itself.

"This type of behavior seriously violates the right to privacy to which judges also have rights, while violating the rule of law that must prevail in a civilized society," the Association of Magistrates and National Judiciary Officials declared today in a statement.

"If verified, we must determine who and what motivated public institutions to turn to these illegalities - which were to some degree systematic."

Security Minister Patricia Bullrich and Justice Minister Germán Garavano have resisted growing calls to resign, and reportedly spent the day calling judges to "offer reassurances."

UIF head Mariano Federici meanwhile refuses to comply with Judge Canicoba Corral's subpoena for documents.

Federici - like numerous other federal officials - is reportedly planning to leave the country following Macri's expected drubbing in upcoming elections on October 27.

I spy

This is the latest in a series of scandals for Macri involving alleged espionage.

A case of warrantless wiretapping against both public figures and relatives had already landed Macri an indictment in 2009 while mayor of Buenos Aires - and the practice only intensified once he took office as president in late 2015.

The first prominent target was his predecessor and rival, former President Cristina Kirchner, who had a number of private phone calls with her close adviser and friend Oscar Parrilli leaked to right-wing media outlets during her 2017 senate campaign.

Carlos Pagni, lead columnist for the typically pro-government La Nación, revealed at the time that the Federal Intelligence Agency (AFI) is influenced by the president's confidants and business partners - and that prominent political figures and private citizens alike are being wiretapped.

These allegations were lent further credence this February by the 'd'Alessiogate' scandal - evidence of a massive extortion scheme run by AFI agent Marcelo d'Alessio involving at least $12 million in ransom payments and false testimony coerced against political opponents.

D'Alessiogate has resulted in several indictments against AFI agents and assets, as well as a district attorney and the chief judicial affairs writer for the right-wing daily Clarín, Daniel Santoro.

Macri has openly called for the removal of the federal judge overseeing the case, Alejo Ramos Padilla.

At: https://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=es&tl=en&u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.eldestapeweb.com%2Fnota%2Fespionaje-a-jueces-german-garavano-intenta-calmar-a-los-magistrados-y-admite-la-situacion--2019101021320

Macri, Justice Minister Germán Garavano, Security Minister Patricia Bullrich, and Bullrich's chief adviser Pablo Noceti.

Documents showing that at least 20 federal judges and a Supreme Court justice have been under surveillance by an array of state agencies over the past two years, have created the latest in a series of espionage scandals for Macri.

All face possible charges once Macri, who trails his opponent by 20 points in most polls amid the worst economy in two decades, leaves office in December.

[Judi Lynn]

1. Excellent news to hear at this point, particularly.

Hope they are organized well enough to put points on the board before the election, and have enough power to keep key people from heading for the exits before they can be properly processed.

So many people involved in the predation, with so many political targets. Huge number of powerful people engaged since Macri started his heavy duty grifting. The photos above represent a real rogue's gallery, don't they? They all look so shifty! They may as well all have black masks on their eyes, berets, and striped shirts. Cigars in their mouths.

All this movement may drive Bullrich to drink.

The sound of Otis Redding's Been Grifting You Too Long (rewritten for Macri) keeps coursing through my mind.

So easy to think immediately of the importance of clearing the air completely over Macri's bogus charges against Cristina Kirchner, and the horrifying abuse she was forced to endure.

All the coerced testimonies, the wild abuse of human rights, etc., etc., etc. which has been unleashed upon helpless people by a powerful government under Macri and his hench-gentlemen. Heaven only knows the scope of all the loathsome things they have also done which haven't been discovered yet by the proper authorities.

Bar the door, keep them from escaping, "lock them up." What are the chances that can really happen?

16 more days until Argentina votes.

Every day until then is so important.

Thank you for information on this new, explosive development, and positioning, sandensea.

[sandensea]

2. Macri was warned not to railroad opponents. Instead he went full Stalin -like Cheeto wishes he could

So the next logical step, was to spy on the judges themselves - along with possibly hundreds of public figures from across politics, business, and the media.

This scandal should have surprised no one, considering everything that's already come out (d'Alessio/extortiongate especially, just this February).

Plus - everyone who follows Argentine politics has known for years that Macri, besides being elitist, is superstitious and paranoid (you'll recall his previous indictments for illegal wiretapping, and that he employs witches b/c he suspects everyone is putting hexes on him).

My guess is that the judiciary had tolerated his eavesdropping up to now because they were afraid of him, yes - but also b/c they felt he'd "never dare" spy on them.

Wrong.

But there again: They, of all people, should've known. Someone who arm-twists federal judges as brazenly as he does (as a number of them have admitted), would think nothing of using taxpayer money to keep tabs on them.

Oh, well. Now they know.

[Judi Lynn]

3. He spared no expense to the taxpayers, clearly, if he could hire Hall and Oates!

Never saw the video they made for the song.

Never had seen people in overcoats playing guitars, keyboards!

Maybe Macri's going to have a harder time keeping track of everyone, now that he's been found out. Maybe that would slow him down, at least.