Opposition leaders blast Menem's acquittal

 Opposition leader blasted former president Carlos Menem’s acquittal in the gun running case.

Progressive Front leader Hermes Binner, La Rioja province senator candidate Julio Martínez, and Civic Coalition vice-presidential candidate Adrián Pérez and, Proyector Sur leader Fernando “Pino” Solanas and former Health Ministrer Graciela Ocaña, among others, criticized the court’s ruling.

“Menem acquitted, the impunity continues and we are even more far away of being a normal country. Menem embodies national shame and in his province, his senator bid is promoted alongside the Kirchnerites. Is that progressiveness?” Binner wrote on his Twitter account.

“I won’t stop fighting for the full functioning of justice, that is why I consider myself with authority to claim for it,” Binner added.

Meanwhile, Martinez, who will run against Menem for a seat in the Senate, attributed the ruling to the deal with the Kirchnerites that began last year,” through which the Government, “vowed to reject Menem’s withdrawal of parliamentary privileges” while Menem guaranteed what they call 'governance' but it actually meant halting all people initiatives,” the lawmaker said.

This pact is reaching La Rioja province’s government. After being a pariah, a kelper, they take him back and they build him a list with government officials. This ruling is another link in the chain of that deal. I think there has been imprudence of the Government’s part in favour of Menem,” Martínez added.

Likewise, lawmaker Adrián Pérez said this “is another corruption crime that remains unpunished in Argentina. Decisions like the one the court made today offer a terrible sign to society; it instills the notion that Justice backs down before power and politics, undermining democratic rules.”

“Argentina has a long way to go to rebuild social contract based on honesty and exemplary nature in the exercise of public functions,” Elisa Carrió, running mate added.

Former Health Ministry Graciela Ocaña was another of the opposition leaders that blasted Menem’s acquittal. “The court’s ruling is unbelievable.”

Likewise, Proyecto Sur leader Fernando “Pino” Solanas deemed Menem’s acquittal in the gun running case as further proof of the Argentine judiciary. “This is a justice in which no Argentine believes in. Menem is a big traitor and responsible of very serious acts against the public patrimony of Argentines. This ruling shows the decline of out judiciary,” he wrote on his social networks accounts