City gov't calls for Timerman's resignation after controversial 'torture' comments

City Cabinet Chief Horario Rodríguez Larreta once again came out in defense of the decision to send Metropolitan Police officers to El Salvador to take part in an Anti-terrorism course, and asked President Fernández de Kirchner to demand Foreign Minister Héctor Timerman’s resignation after he said they were being trained in “repressive techniques.”

“This is going to create an international incident, no just with the US, but also with the other countries that currently send their officers to be trained in the same course that Mr. Timerman is no questioning,” he said.

Mr. Rodríguez Larreta, who was joined in a press conference by City Security Minister Guillermo Montenegro, expressed that Security Minister Nilda Garré had also sent several Federal Police officers to be trained in El Salvador as well.

“Madam President, I ask you to come to your senses and demand Mr. Timerman to resign. He is in no condition to be a foreign minister. A person holding such a high degree of responsibility cannot make such an endearing and ridiculous accusation. He is in no condition to remain in office,” Mr. Larreta said.

Mr. Montenegro then provided several details about the course, which he called “a specific seminar that provides security forces with some very important training.”

“This courses are very good and we thing it’s great that Mrs. Garré decided to send members of the Federal Police and the Border Patrol there. That way they can share their experiences with officers from Brazil, Chile, El Salvador and other countries,” he said.

Earlier, Mr Timerman had said in a radio interview that the City administration was sending Metropolitan Police officers to learn “coup, persecution and torture techniques.”