MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Argentine government denies 'persecution' of Supreme Court Judges but insists in pouncing on Justice Fayt

“Every time the Supreme Court tries to clear up things, justices dig themselves deeper into the hole” Cabinet Chief Anibal Fernandez told reporters

The Argentine government denied on Thursday it was 'persecuting' Supreme Court Justices but kept the pressure on by insisting the process to re-elect Chief Justice Ricardo Lorenzetti was full of irregularities and members could have committed 'ideological falseness'.

 “Every time the Supreme Court tries to clear up things, justices dig themselves deeper into the hole” Cabinet Chief Anibal Fernandez told reporters renewing the government’s position.

“A spokesman of the court came out saying they have made a mistake,” Fernández pointed out Thursday morning as he arrived at the government house.

Anibal Fernández insisted that Justice Carlos Fayt was not present when the meeting minutes reelecting Lorenzetti was signed. That writ, the head of ministers added, said that the 97-year-old magistrate delivered his opinion “twice” saying who had to be the president of the Supreme Court, falling into what Fernández considered “ideological falseness.”

“They say it was Fayt who made two formal proposals on the agreement when Dr. Fayt was not there. God knows how long it’s been with all (agreements been set) behind his back.”

According to the cabinet chief, there are five people to be considered responsible for committing “ideological falseness”: Chief Justice Ricardo Lorenzetti, members of the tribunal Carlos Maqueda, Carlos Fayt and Elena Highton and also the court’s secretary who “vouched” for the veracity of the act.

Insisting that the government was not “persecuting” Fayt, Fernández called the magistrate to come publicly in order to dispel doubts about his health condition and “put an end to all this quickly.”

“They clear things up and dig themselves deeper into the hole. They say it was a mistake in the minutes meeting but it was insurmountable. Why don’t they make him (Carlos Fayt) come out to explain (the situation)? Why doesn't he hold a press conference so we can all see his health and mental conditions?”

On Wednesday, the lawyer of Carlos Fayt, Jorge Rizzo, said the judge was planning to remain in his post, rejecting any medical test lawmakers of the ruling Victory Front (FpV) party may request in the Lower House Impeachment Committee.

In the meantime, the Supreme Court issued a statement earlier in the week ratifying Lorenzetti as president of the Court while spokeswoman María Bourdin tweeting he had called off a trip to Rome, where he had scheduled a series of academic activities.

“Facing colleagues’ queries, I inform that @rlorenzetti resolved not to fly to Rome, suspending scheduled academic activities,” Bourdin wrote in Twitter account today.

News come following days of controversy over Lorenzetti’s future at the front of the Supreme Court that erupted when versions this week said he would be resigning to his 2016 re-election due to “moral fatigue” reasons.

However, the SC on Tuesday released a statement ratifying Lorenzetti will continue in his post after been reelected for a new term in April, a voting that usually takes place in October.

Lorenzetti’s reelection brought up another debate involving SC Justice Carlos Fayt with government officials saying the 97-year-old magistrate had not attended the official voting process, questioning not only irregularities in the re-election of Ricardo Lorenzetti as head of the Supreme Court, but also Fayt's faculties.