Argentine ire at US judge’s remarks

Argentina yesterday accused the US judge who called the country’s new debt restructuring plan illegal of making "imperialist" comments against the South American nation.

Latin America’s No 3 economy tipped into its second default in 12 years in July after US district Judge Thomas Griesa blocked payments to holders of debt issued under US law that was restructured following its record default in 2002.

Griesa ruled that measures announced by Argentina’s president this week to make debt payments locally and push bondholders to bring their debt under Argentine law violated past court rulings. But he stopped short of holding the country in contempt.