Fernandez gaffe adds to furore over death

Argentina: a state prosecutor's death Cristina Fernandez, Argentina's president, dismissed as "absurd" the latest twist in the mystery surrounding the death last month of a prosecutor but drew new criticism after tweeting a racially loaded joke during a trip to China.

During the state visit to China, Ms Fernandez apparently mocked the Chinese accent in Spanish on her Twitter account by making a joke in which she substituted r's for l's.

The president explained that it was necessary to react with humour to the latest developments in the bizarre case involving Prosecutor Alberto Nisman. Nisman was found dead from a gunshot wound to the head the day before he was due to testify in Congress about his accusations that the president had attempted to cover up Iran's alleged role in Argentina's worst-ever terrorist attack in exchange for oil. It emerged this week that Nisman had drafted a warrant for the president's arrest.

Remarking that more than 1,000 people were at an event she was attending for Chinese and Argentine businessmen, Ms Fernandez wrote: "Perhaps they are all from La Campola, and they only came for lice and petloleum," referring to the pro-government youth group La Campora.

Officials had initially denied the existence of the draft of the arrest warrant, which was found in a rubbish bin in Mr Nisman's flat, with cabinet chief Jorge Capitanich ripping up a newspaper report in front of television cameras.

Argentines have been profoundly shocked by Mr Nisman's death, and analysts say that the political crisis that has ensued could boost the chances of opposition candidates in presidential elections in October, in which Ms Fernandez cannot stand.

Critics say that Ms Fernandez's handling of the situation has only deepened the crisis, after she waited a week before appearing in public after Mr Nisman's death, first posting two rambling letters on her Facebook account, despite many Argentines being convinced that the government is somehow involved.

"The Kirchner government must come clean on its role in Nisman's death," said Jason Marczak, deputy director of the Atlantic Council's Adrienne Arsht Latin America Center.

"With 10 months left in power, Cristina is now deeply involved in a senseless killing that threatens the stability of a country already feeling the heat of deep economic pains," he added.

Mr Nisman's accusations have been repeatedly denied by Ms Fernandez, who has speculated that rogue spies may have been behind the death of the prosecutor. Last week, Ms Fernandez announced a plan to overhaul the intelligence agency, after purging its leadership in December.

Meanwhile, two judges have refused to take on Mr Nisman's case, raising fears that it could languish in legal limbo if no one is found to take it on.

In China, Ms Fernandez said she had signed 15 agreements with President Xi Jinping on issues including nuclear energy, infrastructure and agriculture. Argentina is depending on China to help keep its struggling economy afloat before Ms Fernandez leaves power in December. The central bank has already tapped $3bn from an $11bn currency swap to boost central bank reserves signed last year.

Last week, despite falling oil prices, Argentina's state-controlled oil company YPF signed a memorandum of understanding with China's Sinopec to develop Argentina's Vaca Muerta shale formation, one of the largest shale deposits in the world.

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