Two Argentine prosecutors on Monday (22) demanded a prison sentence of up to 12 years and the loss of rights to public office for Argentina’s Vice President Cristina Kirchner, who they accused of corruption in the conduct of public works during his administration ( 20072015) .
The former president is accused of fraudulent administration and had an illegal association with her late husband, former president Néstor Kirchner, during their governments between 2003 and 2015.
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The irregularities occurred in the public administration of works in the Patagonian province of Santa Cruz, stronghold of the Kirchners. The complaint notes that before assuming the presidency, the Kirchners started a construction company called Austral Construcciones, which received bids to do 79% of the work in Santa Cruz during the couple’s tenure. The company ceased operations in December 2015 when Cristina Kirchner left the presidency.
According to the public prosecutor’s office, during the Kirchners’ mandates, the contractor was favored by high price increases in the context of tenders. The former presidents put on trial a partner who would act as an “iron frontman”, Lázaro Báez also indicted, along with 11 other former Kirchnerist associates.
- Argentinian prosecutors are demanding 12 years in prison from Cristina Kirchner
Prosecutor Diego Luciani assured that it was the “biggest corruption scam in the country,” with a loss of more than US$1 billion (R$5 billion) to the state coffers an amount that prosecutors wanted the accused to confiscate case of conviction.
Cristina Kirchner, whose lawyer will represent her defense in September, denied all allegations and said she was the victim of “lawfare” (abuse and abuse of legal process for political persecution). On Tuesday (23 August), the Vice President assured in a live broadcast on YouTube that “nothing that the prosecutors said was proven”.
Shortly after the news that prosecutors were seeking Kirchner’s conviction, Argentine President Alberto Fernández tweeted a message of support for his vice president: “Today is a very thankless day for those who, like me, grew up in a judge’s family, he was I am.” trained in the world of law and has been teaching criminal law for more than three decades. Once again, I extend my deepest affection and solidarity to the Vice President.”
Several other leaders of the ruling coalition demonstrated in the networks for the former president.
But there were also many who celebrated the Kirchnerist leader’s arrest warrant online and on the streets, waving flags and banging pots. There were some incidents outside the Vice President’s home in Buenos Aires, by people for and against the leader.
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It’s the first time the Vice President has responded to a criminal act. Previous investigations into alleged corruption crimes were dropped for lack of evidence.
The trial in the socalled “Vialidad case” began in May 2019, during the presidency of Mauricio Macri. The thensenator went to court three days after announcing she would run for vice president on Alberto Fernández’s card. At the time, Kirchner declined to answer questions about the case and accused the judges of already having a verdict ready. “Between the presidency of the nation and the denounced works are twelve national and provincial administrative bodies,” the thensenator wrote on Twitter.
2 of 2 demonstrators against and for Kirchner went near their home in Buenos Aires on Monday (22nd). — Photo: Portal
Demonstrators against and for Kirchner went near their home in Buenos Aires on Monday (22nd). — Photo: Portal
This Tuesday, the vice president said that the Santa Cruz judiciary had already investigated the work in question and that the suspects had been exonerated.
Three federal judges are expected to announce their verdict by the end of the year, following final arguments from all parties, which is expected to last several weeks.
If the vice president is convicted, she cannot be arrested as she has privileged jurisdiction until December 9, 2023, when her term ends. In any case, lawyers guarantee that in the event of a conviction, an appeal will be filed and the process is likely to end up in the Supreme Court. It can take years before a final conviction is reached, only then Cristina Kirchner would no longer be able to hold office and would be imprisoned under house arrest because she would be over 70 years old (today she is 69 years old). .