Buenos Aires, Argentina (DT) – An Argentine court upheld a six-year prison sentence and “perpetual disqualification from holding public office” on Wednesday for former Argentine president Cristina Fernández (2007-2015) in a case involving irregularities in public construction projects.
The court sentenced Fernández in December 2022 for the crime of fraudulent management of public funds in the case known as “Vialidad,” involving the embezzlement of funds in road construction projects.
The case investigated irregularities in the granting of 51 roadworks contracts to companies linked to businessman Lázaro Báez during the government of the late Néstor Kirchner (2003-2007) and that of his wife and successor, Cristina Fernández, in the southern province of Santa Cruz.
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On Wednesday, the Court of Appeals, formed by Mariano Borinsky, Gustavo Hornos, and Diego Barroetaveña, ruled to “sentence Cristina Elizabeth Fernández de Kirchner to six years in prison and perpetual disqualification from holding public office, considering her criminally responsible for the crime of fraudulent administration to the detriment of the public administration.”
This decision could hamper the former president’s potential candidacy in the 2025 general elections, although Fernández is expected to appeal to the Supreme Court, a process that could take several months or even years.
The former president, who was not present in court, issued a lengthy statement on Nov. 12 in which she anticipated a verdict against her and denounced an attempt to “proscribe” her.
Fernández, who has repeatedly claimed to be the target of “lawfare” (judicial and political harassment), argued that the “Vialidad” case was a “show” and that its “real objective” was to permanently disqualify her from holding public office.
She criticized the judges’ lack of impartiality, highlighting their connections to former Argentine President Mauricio Macri (2015-2019).
On Wednesday Fernández added that the Argentine court’s decision to uphold her sentence was a punishment for being a woman.
“When you’re a woman, everything is 20 times harder, and if they punish me for anything, it’s not just for everything I’ve done, but also because I’m a woman. They can’t stand to argue with a woman and not be able to prove themselves right,” she said during a meeting with women in the town of Moreno, in the province of Buenos Aires.
Meanwhile, Argentine President Javier Milei posted through his X account:
“Today (under this government), Argentine justice confirmed the sentence and perpetual disqualification from public office of the former president. Today we can say without any doubt that Cristina Fernández de Kirchner is guilty of acts of corruption.”
In addition to confirming the sentence for the crime of fraudulent administration of public funds, the court rejected the prosecution’s request to also convict her for the crime of criminal association and upheld the sentences of other individuals involved.
The aforementioned include businessman Lázaro Báez (six years in prison), former Public Works Minister José López (six years), and the former Public Works Secretary, Nelson Periotti (six years), among others.
The judges upheld the acquittals of former Minister of Planning and Public Investment Julio De Vido, former Public Works Undersecretary Abel Fatala, former Santa Cruz Public Works official Héctor Garro, and Carlos Kirchner, cousin of the late former President Néstor Kirchner and former federal planning official.
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