Ex-Argentina pres. on trial in tax case

Argentinaâ„¢s ex-president and convicted arms trafficker Carlos Menem has once again appeared in court now accused of falsifying his personal tax returns.

Menem, who is currently a senator and was president from 1989 to 1999, appeared before the Supreme Court on Monday.

Prosecutors say Menem has neglected his duties as a public official and has been dishonest about his returns.

They say Menem failed in his wealth declaration in 2000 to mention four bank accounts, including one holding USD six million as well as two ultra-light airplanes, vehicles, real estate and stock in telecom companies.

This is the second time he faces charges. On June 13, the former president was sentenced to seven years in prison for arms trafficking.

Menem is to go through an impeachment process by the countryâ„¢s lawmakers to lift his immunity as a legislator in order for him to start serving his sentence in jail.

Legal observers say if they fail to impeach him, Menem would be incarcerated after his legislative term ends in 2017,

In March, an appeals court upheld a guilty verdict against Menem for smuggling 6,500 tons of weapons and ammunition to Croatia and Ecuador, who were both experiencing war at the time.

He was convicted of Å“aggravated smuggling” since the crime involved war material and was carried out by government officials.

The arms deals to Croatia involved seven shipments aboard freighters between 1991 and 1995 while the country was under a UN arms embargo due to the Balkan War at the time.

Also in February 1995, weapons were delivered to Ecuador, while it was engaged in a border war with Peru. Argentina was forbidden to sell any weapons to either side as one of the guarantors of a peace agreement ending a war back in 1942.

The arms shipmentsâ„¢ final destination was labeled for Panama and Venezuela, however it was deemed as a move to evade the weapons embargoes on Croatia and Ecuador.

Menem denied the charges, saying that the sales were legal since the weapons were sent to countries at peace.

CAH/HN