Argentina’s judicial tribunal on Wednesday upheld the 2022 corruption conviction against former President Cristina Fernández.
What Did the Tribunal Reveal?
The tribunal in Argentina affirmed Fernández’s six-year prison sentence and a lifetime prohibition from public office.
With the decision, her legal team is expected to elevate an appeal to Argentina’s Supreme Court, which will allow her to remain free while awaiting the final verdict.
This case has captured both national and international attention, as Fernández continues to be one of the most prominent and divisive figures in Argentine politics.
What Was Fernández’s 2022 Conviction?
Fernández, a leading figure in Argentina’s political landscape and a two-time president, was initially convicted of orchestrating a fraudulent scheme during her presidency that misappropriated millions in public funds through manipulated public works contracts.
Dozens of former officials had become embroiled in the scandal, which began when Nestor Kirchner was president from 2003 to 2007. Fernández had allegedly received bags of cash at her private home on 87 different occasions while she was president of the country from 2007 to 2015.
Fernández was allegedly accepting bribes from construction companies and giving away public works contracts in return.
The 2022 conviction, delivered by a three-judge panel, alleged that Fernández channeled these lucrative contracts to a construction mogul with close personal ties to her family, further inflating political and financial tensions within the country.
Fernández, who is known for her influence within the Peronist political movement, has vehemently denied the allegations. She also appealed the conviction, but the higher tribunal ratified the original ruling.
The scandal was initially made public in 2018 after Argentinian newspaper La Nacion published notebooks that kept track of all the times that cash was delivered to the former president’s home.
Police searched three of Fernández’s properties following the notebooks’ release. She complained about being “the first elected senator to be searched” and said that her one regret was “not having been intelligent or open enough to convince and persuade people that what we were doing—with its mistakes and successes—improved the lives of millions,” according to the BBC.
Amado Boudou, who was Argentina’s vice president and economy minister under Fernández, was sentenced to five years and 10 months in prison on corruption charges. The Fourth Federal Tribunal in Buenos Aires ruled in 2018 that Boudou helped a money printing company exit bankruptcy in exchange for an equity stake while he was in office eight years ago.
This article includes reporting from The Associated Press.
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