As the Jewish community in Argentina prepares to commemorate the thirtieth anniversary of a bombing that targeted a Jewish center and resulted in the deaths of 85 individuals, President Javier Milei has vowed to rectify decades of neglect and inconsistencies in the investigations related to the attack. In 1994, a truck bomb devastated the Argentine Jewish Mutual Association "AMIA" building in the capital Buenos Aires, marking the deadliest event in Argentina's history.
Milei stated in a speech given on Wednesday evening, "Today we decided to speak up and not remain silent... We will raise our voices and not stand idly by; we choose life because death is not a game."
In April, Argentina's Supreme Court of Justice held Iran responsible for the attack, claiming that "Hezbollah militants executed it as part of a political and strategic scheme by Tehran." Iran has denied any involvement in the attack and has refused to extradite the suspects. Previous investigations and arrest warrants issued by Interpol have yielded no results.
Milei, a strong supporter of both the Jewish community and Israel, announced on Wednesday that he would propose a bill to allow for the trial of suspects in absentia. He added that his government would work to bolster the national intelligence system in an effort to prevent similar attacks in the future while prioritizing a broader investigation into the bombing.
Argentine prosecutors have accused high-ranking Iranian officials and members of "Hezbollah" of being behind the bombing, along with an attack on the Israeli embassy in Argentina that killed 22 people in 1992. Milei remarked, "Although they may not receive the punishment prescribed by law, they will not escape the eternal condemnation of a court that proves their guilt before the whole world."
The president described the ruling issued in April as a "huge step" towards achieving justice in the AMIA case and indicated that Argentina must make diligent efforts in light of "the cover-up practiced by the terrorist state of Iran."
