This happens before the expiration of a deadline for Fernandez to report to authorities and begin serving her sentence.

On Tuesday, Argentine prosecutors urged Oral Court 2 to reject the request for house arrest filed on behalf of former President Cristina Fernandez (2007-2015), who was sentenced to six years in prison and permanently barred from holding public office.

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“Granting house arrest is a discretionary power, not an obligation. It is an exception to serving a prison sentence and should not be automatically approved just because the convicted person meets one of the conditions listed in the law,” said prosecutors Diego Luciano and Sergio Mola.

The prosecution’s opinion came one day before the expiration of a five-day deadline for Fernandez to report to authorities and begin serving her sentence. This follows her conviction in the “Roads Case” (Caso Vialidad), in which she was found guilty of irregularities in the awarding of public works contracts.

After the Supreme Court upheld the guilty verdict, Fernandez’s lawyer, Carlos Beraldi, requested house arrest, citing her age (72), her status as a former president, and the fact that she survived an assassination attempt in September 2022. He argued that she should not be held in a regular prison.

The text reads, “Cristina Fernandez. Sensitivity, human beauty, and magic cannot be taken away. Lawfare, the new dictatorship.”

However, prosecutors contended that there were no “humanitarian reasons justifying such an exceptional measure.” Argentine analysts believe Oral Court 2 may side with prosecutors, who also raised concerns about the security of Fernandez’s proposed residence.

“The prosecution wishes to express doubts about whether the proposed address, given its location, layout within the building, and the large number of people nearby, meets sufficient security conditions,” the filing stated.

Fernandez’s defense also argued that an electronic ankle monitor would be unnecessary. Prosecutors rejected that claim, stating, “If the defense’s request is granted, this office will oppose the removal of an electronic monitoring device, as it is a legal requirement.”

Fernandez is expected to appear before federal courts on Wednesday to begin serving her sentence. However, there is a possibility she could be granted house arrest electronically on Tuesday to avoid traveling from the Constitucion Neiborhood to the courthouse and the massive caravan that would accompany her. Despite this, the Justicialist Party vowed that the march in her support would proceed even if she is granted house arrest before Wednesday.

The “Roads Case,” widely seen as politically charged, found Fernandez guilty of irregularities in roadwork contracts in Santa Cruz province between 2003 and 2015, during her presidency and the administration of her late husband, Nestor Kirchner (2003-2007).

teleSUR/ JF

Source: EFE

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