Former Spanish judge Baltasar Garzon poses for a portrait after an interview with Reuters in Madrid February 17, 2014. Spain's most famous human rights investigator Garzon has accused his country of seeking to curb judges' powers to pursue rights abusers around the world in order to avoid diplomatic tension and damage to trade ties. Spain has pioneered the use of universal jurisdiction, the concept that crimes such as genocide and torture are so serious they can be prosecuted across borders. Using this principle, Spain detained Chile's former dictator Augusto Pinochet in 1998. But Spain's ruling party, which can push through laws easily thanks to an absolute majority, has sent a bill to parliament aimed at preventing judges from investigating cases unless the suspects are Spaniards or resident in Spain. To match Interview SPAIN-GARZON/ Picture taken February 17, 2014. REUTERS/Susana Vera (SPAIN - Tags: CRIME LAW POLITICS PROFILE)