Argentine voices support Garzon

Not surprisingly, the Argentine government and other organisations are coming out strongly in support of Spanish judge Baltasar Garzon, recently found to have abused his power by a Spanish court. Garzon is a hero to human rights activists in Latin America for his work prosecuting Southern Cone dictatorship figures.

Argentine human rights secretary Eduardo Luis Duhalde has called the case "scandalous" and said it reflected badly on the Spanish justice system (he's not alone there as there has been widespread criticism of Garzon's lack of right to appeal).

In typically strident language, president of the Madres de Plaza de Mayo, Hebe de Bonafini, warned:

"You have to be very careful: These bugs are like cockroaches, and after the atomic bomb hits them, everybody thinks they're dead, but no," she said. "Germany still has its Nazis, Spain its Franquistas, Italy its Mussolinistas and in Paraguay you can see how the people of Stroessner still act. So you have to be very careful."

President of the Abuelas, Estela Carlotto, described Garzon as honest and committed.

Argentine rights workers to Spain: Lay off Garzon (AP)
El Gobierno argentino rechaza la "escandalosa" condena de Garzón (EFE)