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The Supreme Court of Justice of Argentina confirmed this Tuesday a six-year prison sentence and lifetime disqualification from holding public office against former president Cristina Fernández de Kirchner for corruption related to the awarding of public works contracts. This decision, made unanimously, marks a significant moment in the country’s judicial history and represents a severe setback for the leading figure of Kirchnerism. Information sourced from AFP.
The ruling dismisses a complaint filed by Kirchner’s defense and the other eight convicted in the case, including businessman Lázaro Báez and former Secretary of Public Works José López. Relying on Article 280 of the Civil and Commercial Procedural Code, judges Horacio Rosatti, Carlos Rosenkrantz, and Ricardo Lorenzetti found insufficient grounds to review the guilty verdict issued in 2022.
Now, the Federal Oral Court No. 2 must determine the conditions of detention for the convicted individuals. Given that Kirchner is 72 years old, it is likely that she will be granted house arrest. In any case, her participation in the provincial legislative elections on September 7 is ruled out, where she had announced her candidacy to obtain parliamentary immunity.
Hours before the ruling, hundreds of supporters gathered outside the headquarters of the Justicialist Party in Buenos Aires, where the former president—who leads the organization—met with her team to strategize politically in anticipation of the imminent confirmation of the sentence. “Being imprisoned is a certificate of dignity,” Kirchner declared on Monday to her followers.
The conviction makes Cristina Kirchner the first democratic former president in Argentina whose prison sentence for corruption has been confirmed by the Supreme Court, unlike Carlos Menem, who was convicted but never served actual prison time.
Internationally, Kirchner has also faced sanctions. In March, the US government, under Donald Trump, sanctioned her along with her former Minister of Federal Planning, Julio de Vido, for their involvement in bribery schemes related to public works. The measures include a ban on entering the United States, extended to her family members, including her son Máximo Kirchner and daughter Florencia. Senator Marco Rubio noted that Kirchner “abused her position by financially benefiting from multiple corrupt schemes,” thereby undermining the trust of citizens and investors.
The resolution of the highest Argentine court reshapes the political landscape of the country on the eve of mid-term elections and opens a new judicial chapter in which it will be determined how and where the former president will serve her sentence.