US imposes travel ban on former Argentine President over corruption allegations
Photo: US Secretary of State Marco Rubio (Getty Images)
The US State Department has banned former Argentine President Cristina Fernández from entering the United States. She has been accused of involvement in "significant corruption" during her time in office, NBC News reports.
In addition to Fernández, the ban also applies to the planning minister Julio Miguel De Vido, as well as the families of both former officials. On Friday, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio explained why this decision was made.
"(Kirchner and De Vido - ed.) abused their positions by orchestrating and financially benefiting from multiple bribery schemes involving public works contracts, resulting in millions of dollars stolen from the Argentine government," the American official stated.
Rubio noted that multiple courts had found the pair guilty of corruption charges.
According to NBC, Fernández has been a dominant political leader in this South American country in recent years.
"The United States will continue to promote accountability for those who abuse public power for personal gain. These designations reaffirm our commitment to counter global corruption, including at the highest levels of government," Rubio added.
What comes before
NBC recalled that in November, a court upheld Fernández's six-year prison sentence and a lifetime ban from holding public office.
The former Argentine President was found guilty and sentenced in 2022 by a panel of three judges for a fraud scheme that led to the theft of millions of dollars through public works projects during her presidency. She appealed the ruling, but the higher tribunal ratified the original ruling.
Fernández, for her part, has denied all charges and is not in prison.
