ARGENTINA/FILE-: Argentine prosecutors ask a federal judge to sentence former President Carlos Menem to eight years in prison for his role in selling arms to Ecuador and Croatia during his administration

Record ID: 447418

  • Title: ARGENTINA/FILE-: Argentine prosecutors ask a federal judge to sentence former President Carlos Menem to eight years in prison for his role in selling arms to Ecuador and Croatia during his administration
  • Date: 31st May 2013
  • Summary: BUENOS AIRES, ARGENTINA (MAY 17, 2013) (REUTERS) VARIOUS EXTERIORS OF FEDERAL COURT VARIOUS OF FORMER PRESIDENT CARLOS MENEM AND FORMER ARMY COLONEL AND ARMS DEALER DIEGO PALLEROS, DEFENDANTS, ENTERING COURT JUDGES ENTERING COURT JUDGE DENYING MENEM'S REQUEST FOR ANNULMENT VARIOUS OF PROSECUTORS AND VICTIMS' ATTORNEYS ASKING FOR PRISON TERM FOR MENEM AND MENEM LISTENING (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) RICARDO MONER SANS, ATTORNEY FOR VICTIMS IN CASE AGAINST MENEM FOR ARMS SALES TO ECUADOR AND CROATIA, SAYING: "Carlos Menem is protected by two circumstances: one is his immunity which we would have to go through all the proceedings in the Argentine Congress to rid him of the privilege, and, on the other hand, his detention, his prison, would be very moderated because the former president is over 70 years old. In reality, this case is eternal." JUDGE ANNOUNCING THAT THEY WILL RECONVENE ON JUNE 7 AND ANNOUNCE SENTENCE WITHIN NEXT FIVE DAYS MENEM LEAVING
  • Embargoed: 15th June 2013 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Argentina
  • Country: Argentina
  • Reuters ID: LVADIACGJBBVC5S1AAA3F9UL8KVH
  • Story Text: Argentine prosecutors asked a federal court on Friday (May 31) to sentence former President Carlos Menem to eight years in prison for selling 6,500 tonnes of arms to Ecuador and Croatia during his time in power in the 1990s.
    The 82-year-old was found guilty in March, a decision which overturned a 2011 ruling that acquitted him of arms trafficking.
    The judge said he would announce his sentence within the next five days.
    Attorney Ricardo Moner Sans who represents the victims in the case said no matter what the sentence is, Menem is unlikely to face the inside of a jail because Argentine law gives him immunity as a former head of state.

    "Carlos Menem is protected by two circumstances: one is his immunity which we would have to go through all the proceedings in the Argentine Congress to rid him of the privilege, and, on the other hand, his detention, his prison, would be very moderated because the former president is over 70 years old. In reality, this case is eternal," he said.
    Menem, who could face four to twelve years in prison, may opt to appeal his conviction before the Supreme Court.
    The flamboyant leader insists on his innocence and said he didn't know how weapons destined for Venezuela and Panama ended up in Ecuador and Croatia.
    Now a senator, Menem, who governed Argentina from 1989 to 1999, is remembered for free-market reforms and corruption.
    Argentina was barred from supplying Ecuador with weapons since it played a peace-keeping role after Ecuador and Peru fought a brief war in 1995. Arms sales to Croatia were internationally banned during the wars that tore apart the former Yugoslavia from 1991 to 1995.
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