- Title: Argentina court hands VP Cristina Kirchner 6-year jail term in graft case
- Date: 6th December 2022
- Summary: EL CALAFATE, SANTA CRUZ, BUENOS AIRES PROVINCE, ARGENTINA (FILE) (ORIGINALLY 4:3) (REUTERS) ***WARNING: CONTAINS FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY*** VARIOUS OF FORMER PRESIDENT NESTOR KIRCHNER AND HIS WIFE FERNANDEZ POSING FOR PHOTOGRAPHERS ON A BOAT IN LAKE BUENOS AIRES, ARGENTINA (FILE - MAY 25, 2003) (ORIGINALLY 4:3) (REUTERS) PEOPLE CLAPPING IN THE ROOM WHEN NESTOR KIRCHNER WAS SWORN INTO OFFICE KIRCHNER BEING SWORN INTO OFFICE BUENOS AIRES, ARGENTINA (FILE - MAY 21, 2019) (REUTERS) COURT SESSION VARIOUS OF FERNANDEZ IN COURT SESSION JUDGES DURING SESSION COURT SESSION FORMER PLANNING MINISTER JULIO DE VIDO IN COURT VARIOUS OF FERNANDEZ ALLY, BUSINESSMAN LAZARO BAEZ, DURING THE SESSION
- Embargoed: 20th December 2022 21:12
- Keywords: Argentina VP Cristina Fernandes Kirchner corruption court decision guilty politics
- Location: VARIOUS LOCATIONS
- City: VARIOUS LOCATIONS
- Country: Argentina
- Topics: Crime/Law/Justice,Judicial Process/Court Cases/Court Decisions,South America / Central America
- Reuters ID: LVA002492806122022RP1
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: ***WARNING: CONTAINS FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY***
An Argentine federal court on Tuesday (December 6) found Vice President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner guilty of corruption in a case related to public works in a highly-charged legal case that has rattled the country.
The court convicted Fernandez de Kirchner to 6 years in prison, though she is unlikely to serve any prison time soon as she has immunity from her government roles and is expected to launch a lengthy appeals process that could take years.
Fernandez de Kirchner served as president for two terms between 2007 and 2015 and commands rock-star crowds of supporters. She faced charges of alleged corruption in the awarding of public works during her presidency. She has denied the allegations and called the court a "firing squad."
In a live-streamed session, Federal Court 2 in Buenos Aires city found Fernandez de Kirchner guilty of the crime of "fraudulent administration" in a case known as "Vialidad" in which construction magnate Lázaro Báez was also sentenced to six years in jail.
Prosecutors alleged that public works contracts were handed to a businessman ally of Fernandez de Kirchner, who then channeled money back to her and her late husband Nestor Kirchner, also a former president. Defenders of the vice president maintained that she was a victim of judicial persecution.
Lawyers said that Fernandez de Kirchner would not go to jail any time soon because she has immunity while serving as vice president. She would need to be removed from office in a political trial before she could be sent to prison.
The country is on edge after a long economic crisis and inflation heading toward 100%. Supporters of Fernandez de Kirchner gathered in the streets after she survived an assassination attempt this year.
The ruling Peronist government of President Alberto Fernandez is facing a tough battle to fend off a challenge from the conservative opposition in general elections set for next year.
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