Argentina’s populist ex-president Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner slammed the corruption trial against her as a political “smokescreen” aimed at hurting her campaign for vice president in national elections this year.
The trial, taking place in the capital Buenos Aires, will address multiple corruption allegations dating to Fernandez’s two terms as president from 2007 to 2015, including accusations she received kickbacks from construction firms to award projects for which the state paid exorbitant amounts.
Fernandez, now a senator with an ardent following, took to Twitter, firing retorts at her accusers and rival President Mauricio Macri, and defending herself against the allegations which she strongly denies.
“Clearly it’s not about justice,” she tweeted.” Just about creating a new smokescreen that aims to distract Argentines and Argentina — increasingly less successfully — from the dramatic situation our country and our people live.”
The recession-hit South American nation is heading for presidential elections in October, with centre-right Macri coming under pressure from high inflation, a weak local peso currency and job losses starting to mount.
The allegations could cast a shadow over Fernandez’s political push as she looks to win over the more moderate wing of the Peronist opposition to take on Macri in elections set for October.
Fernandez shocked the nation on Saturday by saying she would run for vice president alongside unrelated former Cabinet chief Alberto Fernandez, a veteran political operator who has both backed and criticised her in the past.
A leftist and militant Peronist, Cristina Fernandez had been seen as the top potential challenger to Macri.
In another tweet she said the trial was an “act of persecution” with the aim of putting an opposition candidate in the dock during an election campaign.