Buenos Aires buries police smuggling case

An Argentinean judge closed an investigation Thursday into allegations that US military officers last month had tried to smuggle in prohibited items that were to be used in a joint police training exercise. The 48-hour impounding of a US air force cargo jet and subsequent seizure of the items fueled tensions between Buenos Aires and Washington, which has demanded that the materials be returned.

Financial crimes Judge Marcelo Aguinsky decided to drop the case after determining that no crime had been committed. The government of President Cristina de Fernández de Kirchner is also trying to play down the controversy after demanding that Washington apologize.

Nevertheless, the Buenos Aires daily La Nación reported that Customs officials are still investigating whether some of the weapons that were brought to Argentina had different serial numbers from those listed on import declaration documents.

The Boeing C17 aircraft was stopped after it landed in Ezeiza international airport in Buenos Aires on February 13. Its crew of military experts was to take part in hostage-rescue training exercises with the Argentinean federal police.

Inspectors said that there were a number of items that were not included in the official list of materials, including medicine for one of the officers that was to take part in the training.

The US government demanded that the materials be returned but Foreign Minister Héctor Timerman instead said that it was Washington that needed to issue a formal apology. Even President Fernández said publicly that "they can't just come in here and bring what they want."

Opposition lawmaker Alfredo Atanasof, who is chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee in the Chamber of Deputies, said he was happy that the judge had decided to drop the case. "We said it from day one: the issue didn't deserve the scandal fueled by the government. Once again we have seen how foreign policy is used for domestic policy purposes without examining the painful consequences of straining Argentinean-US relations," Atanasof said.

Quiet on campaign

Meanwhile, Fernández de Kirchner has kept mum about her plans to run for reelection later this year, while senior advisors and political supporters say that an announcement is imminent.

During a public appearance on Saturday, Fernandez declined to answer reporters' questions about her political future. Some analysts believe that she is trying to build her political support in the different regional elections that will be held before the presidential elections in October. Half of Argentina's 23 provinces will hold gubernatorial races this year.