Former President Macri Summoned to Testify in Espionage Trial
Former Argentine President Mauricio Macri has been summoned by the Dolores Federal Court to testify today on claims that he conducted illegal espionage between 2017-18.
The charges concern Marci’s alleged involvement in the illegal surveillance of the relatives of crew-members onboard the ARA San Juan submarine. The submarine and its 44 crew members disappeared while on a routine security patrol off the coast of Patagonia in 2017. Family members grew frustrated with the Macri administration’s handling of the crisis, ultimately leading to protests in Buenos Aires.
The hearing comes after investigations by the Federal Intelligence Agency (AFI) found intelligence officials under the Macri administration kept files on the activities and communications of the families. Also implicated are the former head and deputy director of the AFI, Gustavo Arribas and Silvia Majdalani respectively.
Macri—who is currently in the US on a book tour—is unlikely to return to Argentina for the hearing. As a result, Marci will be held in contempt of court and his colleagues will likely be convicted. If criminal trials take place, then it is expected that Macri will not return home, likely prompting the courts to hold extradition hearings.
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