An Argentine judge ordered former President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner to serve a six-year corruption sentence under house arrest at her Buenos Aires residence, Reuters reported.
The 72-year-old leader, who served as president (2007-2015), vice president, and senator, was convicted in 2022 for orchestrating a fraud scheme involving Patagonian public projects that allegedly benefited an ally.
Argentina’s Supreme Court upheld the conviction and lifetime public office ban last week following Kirchner’s appeal. She denies wrongdoing, claiming political persecution.
Judge María Romilda Servini ruled on Tuesday that Kirchner must wear an electronic ankle tag and remain confined to her home except for court-approved exceptions. Within 48 working hours, she must submit a list of authorised individuals including household members and medical staff. Kirchner requested house arrest to avoid prison, citing her age as a mitigating factor.
Despite her legal downfall, Kirchner remains a polarising force within Argentina’s left-leaning Peronist movement. Thousands of supporters rallied in Buenos Aires following the ruling, blocking roads while waving banners bearing the image of iconic first lady Eva “Evita” Perón.
Her influence persists particularly among working-class Argentines who benefited from subsidies during her presidency and that of her late husband Néstor Kirchner. However, Peronist popularity waned significantly following economic turmoil during her 2019-2023 vice presidency under Alberto Fernández, marked by runaway inflation exacerbated by excessive money printing.
Kirchner becomes the second Argentine leader convicted criminally after former President Carlos Menem, who avoided prison in the 1990s due to senatorial immunity despite a four-year embezzlement sentence.
