Among other sources, the Los Angeles Times reports the Argentine government prosecutors have asked the courts to impose a 10 year prison sentence and a lifetime ban on holding political office in sentencing Cristina Fernandez. Fernandez is the widow of a former president, a former president herself, and the sitting Vice President of Argentina. The Times writes:
Although Cristina Fernández has faced numerous accusations of corruption for events that took place while she was in office, this marks the first time a trial against her has gone far enough to include a prosecutor formally requesting a sentence.
Fernández, 69, is accused of leading a conspiracy that involved awarding 51 public works contracts for roadworks to Lázaro Báez in southern Santa Cruz province. Many of those public works were never finished.
The alleged fraud against the state cost the country’s coffers around $1 billion.
An additional 12 people are also indicted in the case, including Báez and Julio De Vido, the minister who was in charge of public works during Fernández’s administration. A sentence is expected by the end of the year and could be appealed.
As we've often noted, the political culture in Argentina has been the country's Achilles' heel. The alleged misdeeds happened while Fernandez was herself President. If the evidence supports the charges, she should get prison time, pour encourager les autres.
