Warning on interference with judiciary

The president of the Argentinian Bishops’ Conference has called for judicial independence as the investigation into the death of the lawyer Alberto Nisman continues.

Archbishop José María Arancedo demanded “a commitment to the nation” and said it was “essential to ensure the independence of the judiciary with regards to political power”. The statement came two days after hundreds of thousands attended rallies in Buenos Aires and other cities, one month after Nisman’s death.

The lawyer had accused President Cristina Fernández of colluding with the Iranian Government to cover up the bombing of the Amia Jewish community centre in 1994.

n The Pope has said that he hopes that Argentina can avoid becoming like Mexico with regard to drug trafficking. In a private letter to the director of an Argentine NGO, La Alameda, he said: “I hope we’re in time to avoid Mexicanisation. I was talking to some Mexican bishops and it’s become a thing of horror there.”

The Mexican foreign minister, José Antonio Meade, met papal nuncio Archbishop Christophe Pierre, to “express concern” over the remark. A Vatican spokesman said Pope Francis in no way meant to offend the Mexican people nor to underestimate the Mexican Government’s commitment against narco-trafficking.