Uruguay’s foreign minister resigns following leak of audios related to a passport scandal

By DANIEL POLITI
Associated Press

BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (AP) — Uruguay’s foreign minister has resigned shortly after audio messages were published in which he appears to ask a former official to not hand over evidence in an investigation over a passport issued to an accused drug trafficker. Francisco Bustillo said he resigned to dispel suspicion he might exert undue influence on others. The former deputy foreign minister had testified before prosecutors earlier Wednesday. She told journalists later that she left office last year because she was not willing to conceal communications from the judiciary and refused to commit a crime. After the audios were released, opposition leaders called on the president to dismiss Bustillo and several other top officials. The drug trafficking suspect has eluded capture several times.