Despite being accused of illicit enrichment, there is a possibility for the former president to escape from prison

Following the corruption scandal "the notebooks of the coimas", in which the former president of Argentina Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner is involved, the judge in charge of the case, Claudio Bonadio, decided to prosecute her with preventive custody of freedom. According to the justice, the ex-president led an illicit association that collected millionaire bribes from public works entrepreneurs during her government.

Leer en español: Argentina: ¿Qué salva a Cristina Fernández de Kirchner de ir a la cárcel?

In addition, the judge accused her of committing the crimes of passive bribery and gifts on repeated occasions. However, her capture and sending her to jail cannot be done. Why?

For this to happen, two-thirds of the Argentine Senate would have to approve her impeachment, understood as the need to eliminate the restriction that prevents any other power from impeding the exercise of their position as Senator. If that happens, justice could send her to jail. But the governing coalition Cambiemos, which supported the raids on Kirchner and would not hesitate to endorse that measure, is a minority in the Upper House of Congress. To this is added, that the head of the federal non-Kirchnerist Peronism, which composes the Senate, Miguel Ángel Pichetto, ruled out this possibility because the case is in a period of evidence collection.

As for the investigation IGNORE INTO "the notebooks of the coimas," Judge Claudio Bonadio told media in Argentina that "a criminal organization made up of public officials, who using official means (including vehicles, employees, cell phone equipment, etc.) ) and commanded by Néstor Carlos Kirchner and Cristina Elisabet Fernández, and the Ministry of Planning [headed by Julio de Vido], acted between 2003 and 2015".

Also read: This is what the authorities found in Cristina Fernández properties

Additionally, "41 former senior officials and businessmen linked to public works were prosecuted. Among them are Angelo Calcaterra, cousin of the current Argentine president, Mauricio Macri, who confessed to the judge that he made illegal payments to finance the Kirchnerist electoral campaigns," highlights El País de España. "The list also includes some of the most powerful businessmen in the country, such as Aldo Roggio, Gerardo Ferreyra, Luis Betnaza, Carlos Wagner and Enrique Pescarmona," adds the Spanish media.

Justice in the case of Lula

In May 2018, Brazilian judge Sergio Moro issued a prison sentence against Luiz Inácio Lula Da Silva, and sentenced him to 12 years and one month in prison for receiving a luxury apartment from a construction company linked to the Petrobras scandal. which deviated more than 8,000 million dollars. In the Petrobras case, according to Moro "every big Petrobras contract had the payment of bribes to company leaders and the participation of politicians".

The above, prevented Lula from running for president of Brazil, despite leading the polls. For that reason, he chose Fernando Haddad, an academic and leader in the Workers' Party (PT), who will replace him and compete against Jair Bolsonaro. The latter is currently leading the polls to be the future president of the country of Rio de Janeiro, in the elections that will take place on October 7, says Infobae. "Brazil needs our government and needs Lula directing as a great adviser," Haddad told several Brazilian journalists.

LatinAmerican Post | Edwin Gustavo Guerrero Nova

Translated from: 'Argentina: ¿Qué salva a Cristina Fernández de Kirchner de ir a la cárcel?'