Ex-president Cristina Fernandez appears in court over accusations of bribery and money laundering

Record ID: 394086

  • Title: Ex-president Cristina Fernandez appears in court over accusations of bribery and money laundering
  • Date: 7th March 2017
  • Summary: BUENOS AIRES, ARGENTINA (MARCH 7, 2017) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF ARGENTINE FEDERAL COURTHOUSE WHERE CASE OF "LOS SAUCES" IS BEING HEARD, WITH ARGENTINE FLAG WAVING
  • Embargoed: 21st March 2017 14:26
  • Keywords: Cristina Fernandez Los Sauces El Calafate Santa Cruz
  • Location: BUENOS AIRES + EL CALAFATE, ARGENTINA
  • City: BUENOS AIRES + EL CALAFATE, ARGENTINA
  • Country: Argentina
  • Topics: Government/Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVA00166YONR7
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: Former leftist Argentine President Cristina Fernandez, claimed Tuesday (March 7) to be the target of an "unprecedented judicial and media witch hunt," after arriving in court to respond to charges related to a case of alleged illegal enrichment using a family real estate company called Los Sauces, located in Santa Cruz province in the south.
    In written evidence presented in federal court houses in Buenos Aires, Kirchner stated her persecution was led by a "propaganda apparatus" comparable only to "totalitarian governments."
    On Monday (March 6) Florencia and Maximo Kirchner, children of Fernandez and her late husband and former Argentine President Nestor Kirchner, also delivered their written statements at the Buenos Aires court.
    In her written statement, Fernandez said her "persecution" was unprecedented in the country, "at least in the democratic periods and that in my particular case it extends to my children Maximo and Florencia Kichner." The statement was handed over to federal judge Claudio Bonadio.
    Fernandez, who left office in 2015 after eight years and was replaced by centre-right Mauricio Macri, has already been accused of money laundering and overseeing irregularities at the central bank while she served.
    The cases have sparked massive demonstrations by her supporters, who say she is being persecuted by a new government bent on revenge. Fernandez is a divisive figure, revered by many for generous welfare programmes and reviled by others for her economic policies.
    The latest accusation, issued by a public prosecutor, was initiated by an opposition politician.
    According to documents, Los Sauces had over 9 million Argentine pesos ($635,000 at current exchange rates) in property investment by 2009.
    A spokesman for the attorney general's office said the investigating judge had issued a secrecy order on the case.
    Under Argentine law, the judge will decide whether to accept the charge and open an investigation.
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