Argentina Vice President and Ex-President Cristina Fernandez Could Go to Prison for 12 Years Due to Corruption

Argentine Vice President Cristina Fernandez gained notoriety for holding the Vice Presidency after serving as the president of Argentina. However, she is now facing the possibility of going to prison and may be barred from ever holding public office again due to corruption.

Prosecutors asked a judge on Monday to sentence the president-turned-vice president to 12 years in prison and bar her from ever holding public office for life for her alleged involvement in a criminal conspiracy where she irregularly awarded public works contracts to friends and allies.

The current vice president and former president's trial officially began Monday, and prosecutor Diego Luciani described her actions as "the biggest corruption maneuver that this country has ever known."

Luciani also stated during a webcast trial from Buenos Aires that Cristina Fernandez's alleged fraud has cost Argentina around $1 billion.

Argentina President and Allies Defend Vice President Cristina Fernandez

According to the Associated Press, Vice President Cristina Fernandez had been denying the charges against her and said that the judges had already made their decision against her. Fernandez and her allies have also called the efforts to stop her from ever holding public office again "political oppression."

President Alberto Fernandez, who is not related to the vice president, expressed solidarity with his political ally. His office released a statement saying Fernandez was a victim of "persecution by the courts and media."

While not the first time a former president has faced charges in Argentina, this is the first time that a case has gone far enough that the prosecution was able to formally request a sentence against a former president.

Cristina Fernandez served as the president of Argentina from 2007 until 2015. She then ran as vice president and won in 2019.

What Did Argentina Vice President Cristina Fernandez Do?

According to the Buenos Aires Times, Cristina Fernandez and 12 others were accused in a probe of public works graft during her tenure as president.

Locally, it has been called the "Vialidad trial," which has been going on since 2019. It centers on alleged irregularities in the awarding and overpricing of tenders for public works projects.

Many government contracts were won by firms connected to businessman and Kirchner family ally Lazaro Baez, who had already been convicted of corruption. Two other former government officials who served under her were also in the dock, and they were Julio De Vido and Jose Lopez.

In his statement to the court, Luciani alleged that the administration's officials colluded with Baez and said that the state was the victim of their crimes.

He noted that they abused their power to achieve profit and prioritized personal interest over the interest of the Argentinian public. The prosecutor also told the court that the former president was indeed the head of the "illicit association" to ensure Baez won tenders.

Meanwhile, another prosecutor, Sergio Mola, noted that there were "systemic irregularities" in 51 tenders across 12 years. He added that it was not credible if the president was unaware that these things were happening while she was in office.

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Rick Martin

WATCH: Cristina Fernández Asks to Extend Statement in Corruption Case - From TeleSUR English