Argentina’s vice president, Cristina Kirchner, was sentenced on Tuesday to six years in prison and a life ban from holding public office after being found guilty of corruption but acquitted of the crime of criminal association. The former president and former first lady, who has always defended her innocence and is reportedly the target of political persecution, will not be held due to the immunity of her position. The verdict was criticized by his supporters, who took to the streets in protest.
The prosecution demanded 12 years in prison against Kirchner and the lifetime impossibility of running for public office because of the so-called Vialidad case. At stake are alleged irregularities at 51 public works in Santa Cruz (the political birthplace of the Kirchners) that were handed over during the Néstor and Cristina governments to the companies of Lázaro Báez, who had already been convicted of money laundering.
The vice president was accused of being the leader of the criminal organization responsible for diverting funds from these works – many were unfinished, others had significant budget overruns. At stake are estimated billion-dollar losses. Kirchner “couldn’t have known” what was going on, prosecutor Diego Luciani claimed.
“We are dealing with a very serious crime🇧🇷 The defendants, in a strict separation of roles, withdrew from the state coffers for their own benefit, taking all necessary measures to do so with impunity and disabling all control mechanisms. Corruption was the rule. An effective system of institutional corruption has been created,” Luciani argued in her closing arguments. The judges sentenced her to six years in prison for fraudulent administration to the detriment of the public administration.
The vice president will not be arrested, as there is still room for an appeal to the Supreme Court in a process that will take years – and since she turns 70 in February, she can only serve under house arrest. In addition, because of his position, he has immunity, so it will first take a political process to lose that right.
The inability to run for public office could be worse, but due to resources, it won’t stop her from next year’s presidential race — she didn’t say if she’ll run, but her name can never be thrown out of the Party for justice lists. Kirchner, a former deputy, senator, vice president and president, is divisive in Argentina, but still has many supporters.
Cristina Kirchner has always denied the allegations, likening the court to a “firing squad” and insisting that she is the target of political persecution and that the “verdict has been written” from the start. The comparison is reinforced by the fact that he was the target of an attack on September 1 and did not fire.
“A thrice democratically elected government is not a criminal organization,” Kirchner added, referring to her husband’s first term, between 2003 and 2007, and his two, from 2007 to 2015. Lady and president, who, together with her children Máximo ( deputy) and Florencia, was charged with money laundering through the Los Sauces company, as well as nonexistent lodgings in the family hotels in southern Argentina. Both lawsuits were filed as well as others, with one remaining open on the notebook containing the list of alleged bribes written by a driver.
On the eve of the announcement of the verdict, Argentine President Alberto Fernández announced the opening of an investigation into a journey of judges – reportedly including Julián Ercolini, who is leading the case against Kirchner – prosecutors, media entrepreneurs and chamber officials. from Buenos Aires (held by the opposition) to Patagonia. An Argentinian newspaper, Page 12, published the trip and this weekend it was revealed that Telegram messages were exchanged between the participants to prevent anyone knowing who financed everything – they traveled by private plane and stayed at the home of a British millionaire, Joe Lewis (close to former president Maurício Macri).
“It damages democracy to see the anti-Republican promiscuity with which some businessmen, judges, lawyers and officials are moving. Until now they have felt unpunished. It is time they are held accountable for their behavior,” the president said. with Kirchner’s supporters claiming the messages reveal collusion between the judiciary and the opposition. “It seems clear that the trip took place, and everything seems to indicate that, knowing that the fact had been in the news, those who would have taken part were concerned about the risk of committing a series of crimes, such as failing to perform duties of a government official,” he added.
Source: DN
