The Argentine Government allegedly spied on the future Pope Francis during much of his time as Archbishop of Buenos Aires.
Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio was kept under surveillance for about eight years, according to a city councillor who has written a report alleging crimes committed by the Government’s former intelligence chief, Antonio Stiuso, also known as Jaime Stiuso. The councillor says the practice began under the government of Nestor Kirchner, and continued during the administration of the current President, his wife, Cristina Fernandez Kirchner.
During that time Cardinal Bergoglio clashed with the government on various occasions, including over the decriminalisation of abortion.
The allegations of spying came from Gustavo Vera, a friend of the Pope, who published a report denouncing Stiuso. Cardinal Bergoglio would turn on the radio during sensitive meetings, to make it more difficult for the wire tap to pick up the voices, Mr Vera told the Italian newspaper La Stampa. He added that during a phone call the Pope had said to him: “Be careful what you say, the line is tapped and there are microphones everywhere.”
The report from Mr Vera is part of a wider investigation into the death of the lawyer Alberto Nisman. Nisman had alleged that President Fernandez colluded with the Iranian government over the cover-up of the bombing of a Jewish community centre in 1994. President Fernandez is now under investigation by a federal judge.
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