 "Former Argentine President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner in Buenos Aires in 2024. AFP file")
Former Argentinian President Cristina Fernández has been banned from entering the US by the State Department on corruption charges.
The department has also barred Fernández’s planning minister Julio Miguel De Vido and their families from entering the country after accusing them of involvement in “significant corruption” while in office.
Secretary of State Department Mark Rubio has said that the pair “abused their positions by orchestrating and financially benefiting from multiple bribery schemes involving public works contracts, resulting in millions of dollars stolen from the Argentine government.” He added that they have been convicted of corruption by multiple courts in Argentina.
Fernández has been a dominant political leader in recent years in the South American country.
“The United States will continue to promote accountability for those who abuse public power for personal gain,” Rubio said. “These designations reaffirm our commitment to counter global corruption, including at the highest levels of government.”
Cristina Fernández de Kirchner, who served as Argentina’s president from 2007 to 2015 and as vice president from 2019 to 2023, has faced several legal challenges related to corruption.
In December 2022, Fernández de Kirchner was found guilty of fraudulent administration concerning the allocation of public works contracts during her presidency. She received a six-year prison sentence and a lifetime ban from holding public office. At that time, her position as vice president granted her immunity from arrest, allowing her to remain free while she appealed the verdict.
Last year, a tribunal in the country upheld a six-year prison term and a lifetime ban on holding public office against Fernández.
With inputs from agencies