Minister sacks Argentine spy boss

Daniel Schweimler
BBC News, Buenos Aires

Nilda Garre is said to have been livid when she heard the tapes

The head of military intelligence in Argentina has been sacked for plotting to replace President-elect Cristina Kirchner's new defence minister.

In taped conversations, Brigadier General Osvaldo Montero was heard telling interior ministry officials that Nilda Garre had to go.

But Ms Garre moved first and sacked him for disloyalty.

Ms Garre is part of the government being formed by Ms Kirchner, who will take over as president next month.

The Argentine military has been back in their barracks now for more than 20 years, but their relationship with the civilian governments is often a difficult one.

Denial

A recent survey of military officers found morale to be low and Ms Garre to be unpopular.

Gen Montero was caught trying to keep her out of the new government. But his conversations were recorded and the defence minister heard them.

Mrs Garre was reported to be livid, and the head of military intelligence had to go, forced to take early retirement.

The Interior Minister, the influential Anibal Fernandez, said he had never spoken to Gen Montero - and that he had never even heard of him.

All this happened some days ago, but has only just emerged in the Argentine media - a tale of political intrigue which is by no means over yet.