MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Argentine Supreme Court delays crucial ruling until after mid-term October election

Magistrate Carlos Fayt was honoured by the Argentine federation of Lawyers

Amid high social and political expectations over the Argentine Supreme Court’s ruling to determine whether the controversial Broadcast Media Law is constitutional or not, a top judge said the decision is not expected to come before October’s mid term legislative elections.

“I don’t think the ruling will be issued before the elections. Nothing can be said about it, we have decided to wait,” Supreme Court judge Carlos Fayt affirmed during a ceremony hosted by the Argentine Federation of Lawyers Colleges (FACA) paying homage to Fayt’s career that is in his late eighties.

“I have gathered a huge flow of expertise and come to know that Justice must yet be better,” the judicial official stated calling for the “independence” of the judicial branch and defending the Supreme Court as “strong.”

Fayt’s statements come after the Supreme Court held last week a 2-day hearing over the Broadcast law bringing together the government for President Cristina Fernandez and the powerful Clarin media group representatives.

The Broadcast Law was approved by the Argentine Congress in 2009 and obliges Clarín to dismantle part of its broadcasting empire. The legislation, however, remains in a standstill due to Clarin-issued injunctions that protest the law leading the Supreme Court to decide now on its constitutional nature.

The administration of President Cristina Fernandez is obsessed with forcing Clarin to dismember and eliminating a strong independent group which has refused, despite all the threats and legal and commercial attacks, to yield to political pressure.