BUENOS AIRES, May 22 (NNN-AGENCIES) – Former president of Argentina Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner goes on trial on corruption charges on Tuesday, three days after announcing that she will run for vice president in October elections.
The 66-year-old is accused of favouring businessman Lazaro Baez in Santa Cruz province, her stronghold, for 51 public works contracts worth millions of dollars during her 2007-2015 presidency.
Baez is already thought to have had undue privileges during the presidency of Fernandez de Kirchner’s late predecessor and husband Nestor Kirchner, who was head of state from 2003 to 2007.
Prosecutors say the contracts were awarded at inflated prices and that some of the public works were not carried out.
Fernandez de Kirchner is also facing a string of other corruption investigations, but this case is the first one to reach court.
Her lawyers say there is no proof of favouritism. She accuses President Mauricio Macri’s government of political persecution.
“This is a new act of persecution with one sole goal: to place an ex-president opposed to this government in the dock of the accused when the presidential campaign is in full swing,” Fernandez de Kirchner tweeted on Tuesday.
Baez, former planning minister Julio De Vido and other ex-officials have also been charged in the case.
The trial could affect the electoral chances of Fernandez de Kirchner, who is running in tandem with her former chief of staff, Alberto Fernandez. The two are not related, despite sharing a surname.
Fernandez de Kirchner currently has a seat in the Senate, which protects her from arrest, but not from being put on trial.
If she is found guilty of the charges she is facing, she could be sentenced to up to 10 years in prison, but would only be jailed if the sentence is confirmed by the Supreme Court and parliament lifts her immunity.
If Fernandez de Kirchner is elected vice president, she would have to be impeached in order to be imprisoned.
If it were not for the trial, the Fernandez running mates are seen as having good chances of defeating Macri, who has presided over a recession.
The trial is expected to last until next year.
NNN-AGENCIES
