Former Argentinian president cleared

A judge dismissed manslaughter charges against former Argentinian President Fernando de la Rua for five deaths during street protests in 2001, saying an eight-year investigation failed to find evidence of his responsibility.

The judge, in a ruling published on a Supreme Court website, said the probe disproved charges that Mr de la Rua ordered a police crackdown on the violent protests, which came amid an economic meltdown and debt default that sunk thousands of Argentinians into poverty.

“After more than eight years of investigation, the court can provide no evidence to imply a criminal act on the part of Fernando de la Rua” in the deaths of five protesters and the injury of 107, federal judge Claudio Bonadio wrote.