Vialidad Case: Maximum sentence requested for Cristina Kirchner to the Supreme Court

The prosecutor of the Federal Chamber of Criminal Cassation, Mario Villar, requested the Supreme Court of Justice to sentence former president Cristina Kirchner to 12 years in prison for the crime of illicit association in the Vialidad case.

Meanwhile, the defense of the former president, led by lawyer Alberto Beraldi, also appealed the ruling and requested the highest court for a public hearing to address the case and obtain her acquittal.

Appeals in progress

Both parties filed their appeals against the decision of the Federal Chamber of Criminal Cassation, which last November confirmed Cristina Kirchner's sentence to six years in prison and permanent disqualification from holding public office for defrauding the State. The case involves the 51 public works awarded to businessman Lázaro Báez during the Kirchner governments in Santa Cruz.

The deadline for submitting all appeals expires tomorrow. Subsequently, the Prosecutor's Office and the defenses will have 10 days to respond to the submissions of their counterparts. Then, Cassation judges Gustavo Hornos, Mariano Borinsky, and Diego Barroetaveña will be in a position to decide whether to accept the appeals and  send the case to the Supreme Court or reject them, in which case the parties could resort to a complaint appeal.

The role of the Supreme Court

The Supreme Court's decision will be key, as it represents the last instance of the process. If the court confirms the sentences, they must be executed, which would imply  the detention of Cristina Kirchner, although it could be under house arrest.

Additionally,  she would be disqualified from holding public office. However, it is estimated that the final decision will not be made in 2024 due to 2025 being an election year and the renewal of the members of the highest court.

Expansion of accusations

The Prosecutor's Office also appealed the acquittal of other individuals involved in the case and requested that the crime of illicit association be applied to Lázaro Báez, former Secretary of Public Works José López, former head of National Roads José Periotti, and former Minister of Federal Planning Julio De Vido, who was acquitted.

In his 40-page appeal, Villar stated: "The main arbitrariness exhibited by the sentence in crisis lies in the confirmation of the acquittal of Báez, Fernández de Kirchner, De Vido, López, and Periotti for the crime of illicit association."

The prosecutor added that the investigation proved that these individuals, along with the deceased former president Néstor Kirchner, "established and took part in a corruption scheme, with defined roles inside and outside the administrative structure of the State, which was sustained uninterruptedly for more than 12 years and was aimed at committing multiple crimes to illegitimately divert and seize millions of public funds."

With the case in the hands of the Supreme Court, the judicial future of Cristina Kirchner and the other accused will be determined by the decision of the highest court.  Meanwhile, the process continues, with attention focused on the upcoming judicial resolutions.