Argentina’s Supreme Court Upholds Kirchner’s Prison Sentence for Corruption

BUENOS AIRES, Argentina, June 10 (Reuters) – Argentina’s Supreme Court ruled on Tuesday that former President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner must serve a six-year prison sentence for corruption, effectively barring her from holding public office. The ruling comes after a lengthy legal battle stemming from her conviction in 2022 for directing public works contracts to a close ally during her presidency from 2007 to 2015.

The court’s unanimous decision ends Kirchner’s hopes of running in upcoming provincial legislative elections in Buenos Aires, where she had recently announced her candidacy. Kirchner, 72, argued that she was a victim of political persecution, alleging that the charges against her were motivated by her opposition to current President Javier Milei, who took office in 2023.

During a rally shortly after the ruling, Kirchner described the Supreme Court judges as a “triumvirate of unpresentables” and insisted that her imprisonment would not solve Argentina’s deeper issues. “They can imprison me, but pensions will still be insufficient, and medicines will remain unaffordable,” she told her supporters.

Kirchner was found guilty of a scheme that funneled 51 public works contracts to companies linked to her friend, Lázaro Báez, who has been convicted of money laundering and is currently serving time in prison. Prosecutors claimed that nearly half of the projects awarded to Báez were abandoned, resulting in significant waste of state funds.

The Supreme Court’s ruling came as a blow to the Peronist movement, which has been struggling to regain footing since Kirchner’s party was ousted in the last election. Kirchner’s conviction has sparked protests in Buenos Aires, where her supporters blocked key roadways and gathered at the headquarters of her party, the Justicialista Party.

Political analysts suggest that while the ruling could further divide the Peronist coalition, Kirchner still maintains a loyal base of supporters, especially among working-class voters who benefited from her previous administrations. “The fact that she goes to jail doesn’t eliminate her political movement,” said Carlos Fara, a political analyst.

In response to the verdict, President Milei celebrated the decision as a victory for justice. Kirchner now faces several other legal challenges, including upcoming trials related to additional corruption charges. The legal consequences of her actions could mark a significant turning point in Argentine politics.