Fernández de Kirchner to face trial on alleged 'misuse' of presidential aircraft

The Federal Appeals Court on Thursday confirmed the trial of ex-president Cristina Fernández de Kirchner for the alleged misuse of the fleet of presidential aircraft.

According to the complaint, the vice-president-elect used the fleet for such purposes as the delivery of newspapers to her weekend home in Santa Cruz and the delivery of furniture and domestic appliances to the Patagonian hotel chain of the Kirchner family.

But the court judges (Mariano Llorens, Leopoldo Bruglia and Pablo Bertuzzi) would only confirm moving ahead with the latter charges, not the newspapers – something which Bruglia described as “ethically questionable ... but not criminal.”

The court also reversed the ruling of Federal Judge Claudio Bonadio ordering the trial of former presidential chief-of-staff Oscar Parrilli on the grounds of lack of evidence.

On the same day the vice-president-elect asked that her statements in her trial for public works corruption in Santa Cruz Province be transmitted live.

The ex-president is the last in line to testify among the 13 defendants as from 9.30am on Monday.

Fernández de Kirchner is accused of misallocating and overpricing public works contracts in favour of the Austral Construcciones company of jailed tycoon Lázaro Báez. The 13 defendants also include former Federal Planning minister Julio De Vido and former Public Works secretary José López, among others.

– TIMES/PERFIL