‘Vialidad’ graft trial nears climax

The so-called ‘Vialidad’ graft trial involving Vice-president Cristina Fernández de Kirchner, who is accused of corruption alongside 12 codefendants, entered its final phase last Monday with a verdict expected before the year is out.

Beginning in May, 2019, the same month in which the former two-term head of state announced the presidential ticket headed by current President Alberto Fernández, the trial has so far loomed over her entire vice-presidency.

In Monday’s hearing, trial prosecutors Diego Luciani and Sergio Mola rejected defence pleas to quash the trial without making use of their right to reply which lengthens proceedings. “The charges speak for themselves. There is nothing for us to answer,” said Luciani.

The court nevertheless agreed to a further Friday hearing at the request of one of the defence lawyers before establishing a timetable for the final arguments of the accused.

Fernández de Kirchner, 69, responded to the prosecutors with a message in her social networks referring to previous interventions from her lawyer Carlos Berardi. They contained, according to her, “the legal and factual refutation of each and every one of the lies presented by the prosecutors.” The court decision will fall in times of speculation about the candidacies for next year’s general elections.

Protected by her privileges as vice-president and head of the Senate, Fernández de Kirchner cannot be detained ahead of her sentence being confirmed by the Supreme Court, a process which could take several years.

She is accused of having favoured business tycoon Lázaro Báez in awarding tenders for public works projects in her stronghold province of Santa Cruz during her 2007-2015 presidency.

The prosecution is requesting that she be sentenced to 12 years in prison and barred from public office for life.

Among the 12 other defendants are former Federal Planning minister Julio De Vido, former Public Works secretary José López and Báez himself.