- Supreme Court upholds 6-year sentence and lifetime political ban for ex-president Cristina Fernández de Kirchner.
- Conviction tied to awarding public works contracts to ally Lázaro Báez during her presidency.
- Kirchner denounces verdict as political persecution; protests erupt across Buenos Aires.
Cristina Fernández de Kirchner, former president and once-dominant figure in Argentine politics, has been dealt a major legal blow as the Supreme Court upheld her six-year prison sentence and barred her from holding public office for life.
The ruling, which arrives just days after Kirchner announced her political comeback, has sparked fierce protests in Buenos Aires and accusations of judicial bias.
End of an Era: Cristina Kirchner Barred from Politics After Corruption Ruling
Argentina’s highest court has finalized the sentence against Cristina Fernández de Kirchner, one of the country’s most influential and polarizing political figures. Her conviction in the Vialidad case involves allegations of rigged public works contracts awarded during her presidential terms between 2007 and 2015.
The court also confirmed a lifetime ban on her ability to hold public office, effectively ending her immediate political future. This comes at a critical moment, as she had just launched her campaign for a seat in the Buenos Aires provincial legislature.
Kirchner’s defense argues the ruling is politically timed and driven, pointing fingers at the current libertarian government of Javier Milei. Her legal team is seeking house arrest due to her age, while she continues to claim innocence and label the process as a form of persecution.
Public reaction has been intense. Protesters have blocked major roads in the capital, while loyalists rally behind her, invoking her legacy as a champion of social programs and Peronist values. The ruling has deepened the country’s already sharp political divides.
Cristina Fernández de Kirchner’s sentencing not only marks a dramatic fall for a former president but also signals a pivotal moment in Argentina’s ongoing battle between justice, politics, and public trust.
“They are free and I am a prisoner.” — Cristina Fernández de Kirchner
