Canning House | Latin American Weekly Report

22-01-2015: Latin American Weekly Report

LatinNews

22nd Jan 2015

Nisman’s death rocks Argentina’s Fernández

“It is very distressing to live in a country where any hypothesis, however absurd it may seem, is found plausible.” Speaking at a rally convened to demand justice of the authorities in their investigation into the sudden death of special prosecutor Alberto Nisman, Leonardo Jmelnitzky, the head of the Amia Jewish association, articulated clearly the febrile atmosphere of rumour and conspiracy theory that has pervaded Argentine public discourse since the discovery of Nisman’s body in the bathroom of his apartment on Sunday evening.

Appointed to the Amia investigation unit in 2004 by then-president Néstor Kirchner, two years later Nisman formally accused Hizbollah, the Shiite militia, of carrying out the 1994 attack on the Amia building with Iranian backing. Last week, Nisman returned suddenly from a holiday in Europe, in the middle of a judicial recess, to present a 300-page report accusing the Argentine government of attempting to cover up Iranian involvement in the bombing in order to improve commercial ties [WR-15-02]. Days later, he was found dead, with a single gunshot wound to the head, a .22 calibre pistol by his side.

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Chile’s Rear-View Mirror

"Anniversaries, like New Years’ Eve, offer opportunities to look back and to look forward. As Chile observes the 50th anniversary of the coup that toppled President Salvador Allende and ushered in a brutal 17-year dictatorship, Chileans are engaged in precisely that exercise. The problem is that with respect to both perspectives, looking ahead through the windshield and behind in the rear-view mirror, Chileans do not seem to agree on what they see. "

Ecuador: A new political cycle

Ecuador has voted for its new president - Daniel Noboa will take office in November. In Canning House's latest blog, Paola Ycaza considers how his victory represents a curious repetition of history - and why his actions as president will be critical as Ecuador begins a new political cycle.

22-01-2015: Latin American Weekly Report

More recent briefings & intelligence

Chile’s Rear-View Mirror

Ecuador: A new political cycle

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