• Live
    • Audio Only
  • google plus
  • facebook
  • twitter
News > Latin America

Lack of Santiago Maldonado Autopsy Results Raises Doubts

  • The body, later identified as Maldonado's, was taken on Oct. 19 for an autopsy in Buenos Aires.

    The body, later identified as Maldonado's, was taken on Oct. 19 for an autopsy in Buenos Aires. | Photo: EFE

Published 8 November 2017
Opinion

With no evidence or cause of death, theories continue to develop around the disappearance of the Argentine activist.

In Argentina, the death of activist Santiago Maldonado continues to stir debate as the autopsy of the activist's body hasn't been completed.

RELATED:
Santiago Maldonado's Family Says 'Government is Responsible'

After being reported as missing for 80 days, Maldonado's body appeared on Oct. 17 in the Chubut River and was identified three days later by his relatives, before key regional elections in Argentina.

Maldonado was participating in a protest in defense of Indigenous Mapuche land rights on Aug. 1, when police clashed with protesters. According to witnesses, Maldonado was taken by police during the clash.

Weeks after, there are still no autopsy results. Judge Gustavo Lleral said the cause of death hasn't been determined yet and that the facts needed to be verified.

"It is something pending conclusion with the complementary exams of the autopsy," Lleral said during a press conference. "That's going to take time, we have to be patient."

The same judge has denied the existence of a key witness who claimed he saw Maldonado trying to cross the river, but his wounds didn't allow him to cross.

Now that theory has been denied since the presence of wounds or a possible drowning hasn't been confirmed.

Relatives of Maldonado and activists say he was forcibly disappeared and blame the government of President Mauricio Macri for being responsible. Close friends of Maldonado have since affirmed that the young man was afraid of bodies of water because he didn't know how to swim.

His family has said that the government is trying to protect the police for detaining Maldonado and taking him away.

Comment
0
Comments
Post with no comments.