The billionaire compensation claim expired after years of inactivity.
On Wednesday, civil and commercial judge Marcelo Bruno Dos Santos declared the expiration of a civil lawsuit against former President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner related to the “Vialidad Case,” reports 24brussels.
As a result, Fernandez will no longer be liable for a state compensation of approximately US$11 billion, since Argentina’s National Highway Administration failed to advance the case within the six-month period following its initiation in 2008. However, the government led by far-right President Javier Milei announced its intention to appeal the ruling.
During a hearing earlier, Fernandez’s attorney, Luis Goldin, contested the payment and highlighted that no progress had occurred in the lawsuit since October 19, 2023, which marked the last action capable of suspending procedural deadlines.
In recent months, in response to legal actions against the leftist leader, Argentine social movements have launched the international “Free Cristina!” campaign, denouncing what they characterize as political persecution of Fernandez.
This campaign has focused on the alleged irregularities in the judicial proceedings following Fernandez’s conviction in the Vialidad case. Activists have disseminated videos and documents suggesting connections between judges and prosecutors involved in the case and former President Mauricio Macri, accusing them, along with Hector Magnetto, owner of the newspaper Clarin, of promoting a “plan without evidence and without crime.”
The “Free Cristina!” campaign claims that the Vialidad case represents a “farce and part of a lawfare operation,” aimed at undermining Argentina’s 1983 democratic pact and restricting citizens’ rights to choose their leaders freely.
In light of these developments, the ongoing controversy surrounding the Vialidad case continues to polarize Argentine society, as various factions vie for political influence in a contentious post-election landscape.
