MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Argentine court allows Maradona's heirs to place the body at mausoleum in Buenos Aires

Maradona would have turned 64 on Oct. 30

An Argentine court in San Isidro, on the northern outskirts of Buenos Aires, has allowed the body of former footballing virtuoso Diego Maradona to be transferred from the private cemetery where he is buried to a mausoleum in the Puerto Madero district, inside the country's capital.

Court N°3 in San Isidro, on the outskirts of Buenos Aires, gave the green light on Tuesday to move the body of the football star who passed away in 2020 at the age of 60.

“We always knew that his place was with the people but also we understood that all security guarantees had to be given as a priority. What we want is that those who love him can go to show him their love,“ Maradona's 37-year-old daughter Dalma wrote on social media.

Maradona's body is currently at the Bella Vista Garden private cemetery in San Miguel, some 50 kilometers northwest of Buenos Aires.

The court granted the request of Maradona's five children to take the body for “humanitarian and emotional reasons,” it was also explained.

The M10 Memorial project launched in 2023 is yet to be finished and it will be in the exclusive Puerto Madero area, within walking distance from Casa Rosada, which would make it a tourist attraction for fans.

The Argentine legend passed away in November 2020, when the country was still under Covid-19 lockdowns that were waived so that people could parade through Casa Rosada to pay their last respects.

Maradona, who would have turned 64 on Oct. 30, died as a result of cardiorespiratory arrest while recuperating at home from brain surgery. His medical team is on trial for alleged manslaughter for consenting to his early hospital discharge and subsequent mishandling of his condition.

Technically, the charges against them mention ”malice aforethought,” which means that the perpetrator knew there was a risk to the life of the other person. Penalties range from 8 to 25 years of imprisonment.

Seven of the defendants will be subject to a bench trial in March 2025 by a three-judge court. A nurse, who is the eighth defendant, will be tried by a jury on a date yet to be determined.

The ongoing criminal case meant the family needed the court's clearance to proceed with the body, which has been subject to an autopsy and other studies as part of the inquiry. Maradona's children have been attempting to create a dedicated mausoleum since 2021. The shrine will be known as the Memorial del Diez or M10 Memorial