A federal court in Argentina has found Vice President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner guilty in a high-profile corruption case, sentencing the influential politician to six years in prison and disqualifying her from holding public office. The decision on Tuesday is expected to be appealed by Fernandez de Kirchner, who has rejected the allegations against her as a “staged fable” and is unlikely to soon serve any prison time due to governmental immunity. The Associated Press has the story:
Argentine VP C. Fernández Guilty, 6 years for Fraud
Newslooks- BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (AP)
Argentine Vice President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner was convicted and sentenced Tuesday to 6 years in prison and a lifetime ban from holding public office for a fraud scheme that embezzled $1 billion through public works projects during her presidency.
A three-judge panel found the Peronist leader guilty of fraud, but rejected a charge of running a criminal organization, for which the sentence could have been 12 years in prison. It’s the first time an Argentine vice president has been convicted of a crime while in office.
Supporters of Argentine Vice President Cristina Fernandez, a former president, rally outside the court where judges are expected to announce the verdict in a corruption case against her in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Tuesday, Dec. 6, 2022. The banner reads in Spanish “Everyone with Cristina.” Three judges will soon announce their verdict in the corruption trial of Fernandez, accused of running a criminal organization that fraudulently directed about $1 billion in public works projects to her longtime ally when she was president. (AP Photo/Rodrigo Abd)
The sentence isn’t firm until appeals are decided, a process that could take years. She’ll remains immune from arrest meanwhile, as long as she can keep getting elected.
Speaking after the verdict, she described herself as the victim of a “judicial mafia.”
Her supporters vowed to paralyze the country with a nationwide strike. They clogged downtown Buenos Aires and marched on the federal court building, beating drums and shouting as they pressed against police barriers.
Supporters of Argentine Vice President Cristina Fernandez, a former president, gather outside the court where judges are expected to announce the verdict in a corruption case against her in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Tuesday, Dec. 6, 2022. The banner reads in Spanish “Everyone with Cristina.” Three judges will soon announce their verdict in the corruption trial of Fernandez, accused of running a criminal organization that fraudulently directed about $1 billion in public works projects to her longtime ally when she was president. (AP Photo/Rodrigo Abd)
The verdict is certain to deepen fissures in the South American nation, where politics can be a blood sport and the 69-year-old populist leader is either loved or hated.
A man walks next to a graffiti that reads in Spanish: “Cristina is hope”, in reference to Vice President Cristina Kirchner, in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Monday, Dic. 5, 2022. A judge will determine Tuesday whether to sentence Cristina Kirchner for allegedly leading a criminal conspiracy that irregularly awarded public works contracts to a friend and ally. (AP Photo/Rodrigo Abd)
Argentina’s President Alberto Fernandez waves as he exits a meeting during the Mercosur trade bloc summit, in Montevideo, Uruguay, Tuesday, Dec. 6, 2022. (AP Photo/Matilde Campodonico)
Báez and members of her 2007-2015 presidential administration were among a dozen others accused in the conspiracy. The panel sentenced Báez and her public works secretary, José López, to six years. Most of the others got lesser sentences.
Riot police flank the exterior of a federal court building after judges announced the sentence and verdict in a conspiracy and fraud trial against Vice President Cristina Fernandez, a former president, in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Tuesday, Dec. 6, 2022. The court sentenced Fernandez to 6 years in prison and a lifetime ban from holding public office. Fernandez is accused of running a criminal organization that defrauded the state of $1 billion during her presidency through public works contracts granted to a construction magnate closely tied to her family. (AP Photo/Rodrigo Abd)
Prosecutors Diego Luciani and Sergio Mola said the Báez company was created to embezzle revenues through improperly bid projects that suffered from cost overruns and in many cases were never completed. The company disappeared after the Kirchners’ 12 years in power, they said.
A supporter of Argentine Vice President Cristina Fernandez, a former president, waits outside a federal court building where judges are expected to announce the verdict and sentence in a conspiracy and fraud trial against her, in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Tuesday, Dec. 6, 2022. Fernandez is accused of running a criminal organization that defrauded the state of $1 billion during her presidency through public works contracts granted to a construction magnate closely tied to her family. (AP Photo/Rodrigo Abd)
In Argentina, judges in such cases customarily pronounce verdicts and sentences first and explain how they reached their decision later, but given the public pressure in this case, they could offer some details before the panel’s full decision is read out loud in February. After that, the verdict can be appealed up to the Supreme Court, a process that could take years.
Supporters of Argentine Vice President Cristina Fernandez, a former president, gather outside a federal court building where judges are expected to announce the verdict and sentence in a conspiracy and fraud trial against her, in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Tuesday, Dec. 6, 2022. Fernandez is accused of running a criminal organization that defrauded the state of $1 billion during her presidency through public works contracts granted to a construction magnate closely tied to her family. (AP Photo/Rodrigo Abd)
Pollster Roberto Bacman, who directs Argentina’s Center for Public Opinion Studies and supported the campaign of current President Alberto Fernández, said the opposition parties have been hoping to campaign calling her a convict, as well as a thief and a whore.
Supporters of Argentine Vice President Cristina Fernandez, a former president, react after hearing the verdict and sentence in a conspiracy and fraud trial against Fernandez, in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Tuesday, Dec. 6, 2022. The court sentenced Fernandez to 6 years in prison and was issued a lifetime ban from holding public office. Fernandez is accused of running a criminal organization that defrauded the state of $1 billion during her presidency through public works contracts granted to a construction magnate closely tied to her family. (AP Photo/Rodrigo Abd)
And Cristina Fernández, who last month compared her judges to a “firing squad,” is ready to play the victim, characterizing the judiciary as a pawn of right-wing forces including opposition media and Mauricio Macri, who succeeded her as president, Bacman said.
“So we already know how she’ll be attacked and also how Kirchnerism will defend her, which is to consider her a victim of “lawfare,” just like Lula (President-elect Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva) faced in Brazil or what the former president of Ecuador (Rafael Correa) currently faces,” Bacman said.
Supporters of Argentine Vice President Cristina Fernandez, a former president, cry after hearing the verdict and sentence in a conspiracy and fraud trial against Fernandez, in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Tuesday, Dec. 6, 2022. The court sentenced Fernandez to 6 years in prison and a lifetime ban from holding public office. Fernandez is accused of running a criminal organization that defrauded the state of $1 billion during her presidency through public works contracts granted to a construction magnate closely tied to her family. (AP Photo/Rodrigo Abd)
Either way, she remains the singular leader of the leftist faction of the Peronist movement. Bacman said his surveys show 62% want her removed and 38% support her, no matter what.
Meanwhile, other cases remain pending against her, including a charge of money-laundering that also involves her son and daughter.
