Argentina: Corruption Investigation Vs. Vice President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner Reopened

Argentina Vice President and former President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner is facing even more legal trouble after a Federal Appeals Court revoked the dismissal of her money-laundering case. The former president and current VP of Argentina has long been accused of corruption since her time as the most powerful woman in Argentina.

The money-laundering corruption case has been dubbed in Argentina as the "K money route" case and the decision to reverse its dismissal came after the judges leading the court admitted that they accepted an appeal against the clearing of charges. This then led to Federal Judge Sebastián Casanello ordering the probe into the case to be reopened.

Federal Appeals Court Judges Mariano Llorens and Pablo Bertuzzi accepted an appeal from an NGO known as Bases Republicanas Civil Association. The decision to reverse the dismissal was not unanimous, though, as Judge Eduardo Farah dissented against the ruling.

According to the Buenos Aires Times, it was Casanello himself who ruled that there was no evidence the former president was involved in the money laundering scheme. This case is different from a different corruption scandal involving a family ally and Fernandez de Kirchner granting his business government projects.

In that corruption scandal, the former president and current vice president is accused of granting winning tenders for oil and public works projects for ally and family friend, business tycoon Lazaro Baez. His firm, Austral Construcciones, received various government projects during the presidencies of Néstor Kirchner and his wife who succeeded him as president, Cristina Fernández de Kirchner.

Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner has been under investigation for over a decade now and has consistently denied the allegations. She received much public sympathy after an assassination plot against her failed and this made her case as a "victim of political and judicial persecution" to the public.

A total of 17 people have already been charged and found guilty of corruption in connection to the case, including Baez and his son, Martin. Despite this, the vice president has not yet faced any consequences despite being previously sentenced to six years in prison for the case.

Cristina Fernandez de Kirschner Losing Her Political Immunity Soon

The reason the vice president of Argentina still not facing justice despite being sentenced to six years in prison is that her position grants her immunity from arrest. However, with a new president taking office, the former president and current vice president is now in trouble as her immunity is about to expire as soon as President-elect Javier Milei is sworn in on Dec. 10.

However, the Associated Press noted that the sentence against the outgoing VP is still not firm as appeals still need to be decided, and this could take years. She might also avoid prison time as her advanced age could spare her. In Argentina, detainees who are 70 or older generally are granted house arrest instead of prison time.

Argentina Vice President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner's Political Dynasty Also Fading

The vice president and former president is also part of the powerful Kirschner political dynasty, which has been a powerful Peronist ally in Argentina. However, with right-wing leader President-elect Javier Milei rising, her family's power is also waning, according to VOA News.

Milei has promised to change the political status quo and is poised to go after the traditional political dynasties that have ruled Argentina for years. A wave of dissatisfaction from Argentina's 200% inflation rate is not helping the political family either.

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Rick Martin

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