Argentine Judge Rejects Congresswoman's Delay Tactics in Aggression Case

A national congresswoman in Argentina has suffered a setback in her efforts to avoid legal proceedings related to accusations of aggression against a young activist with autism.

Lilia Lemoine, a legislator from the La Libertad Avanza party, had sought to delay her testimony in a case investigating her alleged aggressive behavior towards Ian Moche, a 12-year-old boy with autism spectrum disorder. Lemoine had filed motions alleging irregularities in the judicial process, which successfully postponed her scheduled deposition.

However, a judge overseeing the case has now dismissed Lemoine's arguments. The case will proceed, and the Public Prosecutor's Office will be responsible for scheduling a new date for Lemoine's statement. The case originated from a complaint filed by another congresswoman, Marcela Pagano, after Lemoine publicly accused the child's mother of exploiting her son's condition.

Lemoine had made similar accusations on social media and in interviews, stating the mother was not of sound mind and was profiting from her son's condition. Her defense team had argued that the public dissemination of the case's progress was damaging to both the minor and the accused legislator, questioning the prosecutor's handling of sensitive information and the legitimacy of the complaint due to the minor's involvement without full parental consent.