No more obstacles to Argentine ex-president testifying in wiretapping case

Argentina's ex-president Mauricio Macri has been subpoenaed again as part of an ongoing probe into a wiretapping scandal. This was made possible after current president Alberto Fernandez lifted a legal obstacle that previously kept him from testifying.

The on-going investigation is looking into allegations that Macri's government spied on relatives of 44 sailors who died in the sinking of a navy submarine in 2017.

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The ARA San Juan submarine disappeared in November 2017. When it was found just over a year later, it was at a depth of more than 900 meters in the South Atlantic some 400 kilometers off the coast of Argentina.

Secrecy provisions

Macri appeared in court briefly on Thursday to argue that he could not testify because he would have to reveal confidential information.

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Hours after his appearance in court, current President Alberto Fernandez signed a decree lifting secrecy provisions that had been preventing his testimony, officials said.

Another subpoena was issued a day later, summoning Macri to testify on the case again, with a court date set for November 3.

Technical fault

The submarine had been crushed by implosion due to water pressure, caused by technical fault. Authorities decided against attempting to refloat it.

Family members of the 44 crew members told investigators they were followed and wiretapped, filmed and intimidated into abandoning any claims related to the incident.

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Former President Macri, 62, is accused of ordering the espionage. The judge overseeing the probe has yet to decide whether to indict him.

If convicted, Macri risks between 3 to 10 years in jail for allegedly violating Argentina's intelligence laws. He led the country from 2015 to 2019.