Argentina’s Military Intelligence boss resigns over detained warship in Ghana

The Military Intelligence Chief of Argentina, Lourdes Puente Olivera, has resigned, the Xinhua news agency reports October 18, 2012 citing official sources.

Puente’s resignation is said to be due to the detention of the Argentine warship, Libertad, in Ghana.

The sources told the Chinese news agency that Puente’s decision “was due to investigations into the Defense sector” after officials failed to foresee the possibility that the frigate Libertad would be seized if it docked in Ghana.

Puente is the fourth high-level official to leave post over the issue.

Earlier this week, the country’s Navy Chief of Staff, Carlos Paz, and two other top naval officials were fired over the same issue.

The Libertad was detained in Ghana October 2, following a court order sought by NML Capital Ltd, a subsidiary of US hedge fund, Elliott Management, after the Latin American nation failed to pay its 2002 debt.

And on October 11, 2012, a Ghana court refused to free the Argentine warship. The judge that sat on the case said Argentina had waived immunity as part of its loan deal.

The Libertad was in Ghana to offer some navy training. The 103-meter-long sailing ship left Argentina’s capital Buenos Aires on June 2 and was carrying a reported total crew of 220, including 69 members of the Argentine Navy and 110 students.

By Ekow Quandzie