Latin America
Argentina’s vice president is facing trouble in court again
The criminal proceedings against Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner involve money laundering. photo
© Rodrigo Abd/AP/dpa
She was already sentenced to six years in prison in another case, and Cristina Kirchner is now scheduled to appear in court again. This time it’s about the accusation of money laundering.
About a month before the presidential election In Argentina, the South American country’s judiciary has reopened two cases against incumbent Vice President Cristina Kirchner.
The Federal Court of Appeal has dropped two criminal proceedings against Kirchner for money laundering and obstruction of justice and ordered the initiation of oral proceedings, Argentine media reported yesterday. The former head of state (2007-2015) Kirchner can still appeal the decision to the Supreme Court.
A bombing and a murder
The criminal proceedings concern money laundering in connection with controversial hotel and real estate transactions as well as a memorandum with the Iranian government.
During her term in office, the Argentine government agreed with Tehran to place the investigation into the bombing of the Amia Jewish community center in Buenos Aires in 1994, which left 85 people dead, in the hands of an international truth commission. According to the investigation, the masterminds of the attack are believed to come from the Shiite militia Hezbollah or Iranian government circles.
The special prosecutor for the investigation into the attack, Alberto Nisman, was discovered shot to death in his apartment at the beginning of 2015. A few days before his death, he had reported then-President Kirchner for obstruction of justice and concealment.
The latest judgment is not yet final
At the end of last year, Kirchner was sentenced to six years in prison for corruption. Since the verdict is not yet final, the vice president remains at large for the time being. The ex-president is considered the real mastermind in the incumbent government of President Alberto Fernández. On October 22nd, Argentines will elect a new head of state. The libertarian populist Javier Milei, who strongly criticizes Kirchner’s camp, emerged as the winner in the primaries.