MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Call for Argentine minister to testify in Miami court

Vice-president Cobos continues to mark distance from the Krichners

Argentina's vice president Julio Cobos said on Friday that cabinet minister Julio De Vido should “come clear” about his alleged links with the suitcase cash scandal currently being aired in a Miami federal court.

Several witnesses of the case involving the discovery by an ariport official in Buenos Aires of a suitcase stashed with cash alledgedly a contribution from Venezuela's president Hugo Chavez for the presidential campaing of Argentina's Crisitina Fernandez de Kirchner, have repeatedly named Federal Planning minister Julio De Vido as directly linked to the money transfer and later to desperate efforts to cover up the whole operation. Alejandro Antonini Wilson is the name of the US-Venezuelan citizen caught with the 800.000 US dollars cash who later fearing Venezuelan and Argentine efforts (and agents) to have him admit the crime as part of the cover up operation, decided to become a protected witness of the FBI in Miami. "All those who have the possibility of coming clear and providing information on the case should come forward because they have the obligation to collaborate with the judicial process", said vicepresident Cobos who is currently on a visit to Miami. "Minister De Vido should come forward and give his version of the incident, independently of whom might request it from him" added Mr. Cobos. De Vido is one of the Kirchners most trusted and influential aides. Staff from his ministry were involved in the suitcase scandal and were forced to resign and have since disappeared from public exposure. Mr. Cobos who crossed the oppoisiton party line to join the presidential ticked with Mrs. Kirchner in 2007 has been completely isolated from government affairs and virtually has no dialogue with the president. The Argentine vicepresident was invited to Miami for a conference on municipal governments.