"I am absolutely sure that I did the best with Diego, the best that I could," said Leopoldo Luque, Diego Armando Maradona's personal doctor, who died last Wednesday at the age of 60.
Luque spoke at a press conference after the
Argentine Justice ordered the search of his house and office
within the framework of the case that is investigating the causes of his death.
[Who was the Argentine player Diego Armando Maradona?]
The raids were carried out early Sunday at Luque's office in the Argentine capital and at his private home, on the southern outskirts of Buenos Aires.
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During the press conference Luque insisted that Maradona
"had a cardiorespiratory arrest"
and clarified that he was not responsible for his health and that 'El Ten' decided for himself.
"Diego is a patient who almost died 20 years ago.
Diego was tired of being Maradona. He
was the guy with the most rebellion, with the most autonomy that I have ever known," he said.
"The medical team did what was necessary and more," he insisted.
"I am proud of what I did for him," he said later through tears.
["Even the ball is going to cry": the heartfelt reactions to Maradona's death]
The doctor argued that it was very difficult to deal with Maradona, who was reluctant to receive medical treatment, to the point that he threw him out of his home on multiple occasions.
He maintained that he was her neurosurgeon and
not her GP
and that the decisions were made among a medical team.
"Whoever is looking for those responsible is not understanding things," he
insisted.
Followers of Diego Armando Maradona at the doors of the Casa Rosada where the burning chapel of the Argentine star who died on Wednesday at the age of 60 was opened this Thursday.
EFE / Juan Ignacio Roncoroni
Luque assured that the police took all of Maradona's medical records, "with all the records of the care I did and of the professionals who also participated in the care," as well as computers, hard drives and cell phones.
[In pictures: Diego Armando Maradona's life of glory and misery]
Sources from the Public Prosecutor's Office of the Buenos Aires town of San Isidro, in charge of the investigation, confirmed to Efe that the records were made to collect evidence of interest to the case, such as
Maradona's medical history
.
The authorities indicated that in the procedure, Luque was notified of his rights, although
"he is not formally charged" in the case
, a step that could be taken if the doctor is summoned to give an investigatory statement and the Prosecutor's Office then decides to proceed with an accusation. .
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The raids were ordered after this Saturday the Prosecutor's Office took a statement from
"direct relatives"
of the former soccer player.
Maradona's health
Maradona had been admitted earlier this month to two health centers for anemia, dehydration and a subdural hematoma for which he
was
finally
operated on on November 3.
The former soccer player had received medical discharge from the Olivos clinic where he was operated on on November 11 and from then until his death he lived in a house in a private urbanization.
Legal representatives of the family and of Maradona himself indicated that the case opened for "investigation of causes of death" is investigating
what type of medical care
the former soccer player
received
from the operation until his death, but in particular since he received the medical discharge and what was the cocktail of drugs that should be supplied.
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The family's lawyers also want an investigation into
what happened on November 19
when, according to two testimonies available to the lawyers, Luque visited Maradona at his home and the two argued.
Since then, according to these two testimonies, presumably the doctor has not returned to the place to provide him with personal medical attention, which could eventually lead to
"personal abandonment,"
according to the family's lawyers.
Maradona was buried Thursday in a private ceremony attended by about twenty people after a vigil at the Government headquarters, where thousands queued to pass in front of his coffin.
The captain of the Argentine team that won the 1986 World Cup was operated on for edema after being admitted to another clinic for a decompensation caused by the ingestion of psychotropic drugs and alcoholic beverages.
Maradona suffered from different problems throughout his life derived in large part from his
addiction to drugs, especially cocaine.
Following his retirement as a player, he was on the brink of death in 2000 and 2004.
By Gabriela Martínez with information from AP and Efe.