Argentina’s Supreme Court has confirmed a six-year prison sentence and lifetime political disqualification for former president Cristina Fernández de Kirchner, upholding her 2022 conviction for fraudulent administration during her time in office (2007–2015). The case — known as the "Vialidad" case — centers on public works contracts granted in her home province of Santa Cruz, many of them involving overpricing and irregularities.

The decision marks a watershed moment for Argentine justice and politics. Kirchner is now set to become the first democratically elected president in Argentina to serve prison time. Former president Carlos Menem was also convicted, but never imprisoned, as his case was never upheld by the courts.

Kirchner, who had recently announced plans to run for a seat in the Buenos Aires provincial legislature in September — a move that would have granted her legal immunity — is now barred from running for public office. The ruling forces the Peronist opposition to rethink its electoral strategy ahead of the national midterm elections scheduled for October.

Reactions were immediate and sharply divided. President Javier Milei celebrated the ruling with a brief post on X: “Justice. End.” Meanwhile, hundreds of Kirchner supporters gathered outside the headquarters of the Justicialist Party in Buenos Aires, chanting, crying, and honking horns in protest.

In a fiery speech to her supporters, Kirchner condemned the court’s decision, calling the judges “three puppets who answer to forces far above them.” She also declared: “The sentence was already written before the trial even began.”

Referring to the conviction as a badge of honor, she told the crowd: “Being in prison is almost a certificate of political, personal and historical dignity,” accusing current officials — whom she described as “mafiosos” — of walking free despite serious allegations.

According to AFP, the court ruled that “the sentences handed down by the lower courts were based on extensive evidence produced,” and rejected Kirchner’s appeal outright.

The ruling has sparked political debate about what comes next for the former president and her party. Political analyst Sergio Berensztein described the moment as “a new political scenario.” While Kirchner's leadership is now more limited than in the past, he said, “she still remains relevant.” The big question, he added, is whether this ruling “will lead to a gradual political marginalization or a slow death as a political figure.”

Others argue the opposite. Analyst Rosendo Fraga told AFP that the sentence may actually help consolidate support around her: “It will be hard for any Peronist to oppose her while she’s behind bars.”

Some also see the ruling as a boost for Milei. Political scientist Lara Goyburu of the University of Buenos Aires said that among Milei’s base, the decision reinforces the idea of a president who delivers: “Among Milei’s voters, it strengthens the perception that he’s following through on the few promises he made — including lowering inflation and ending Kirchnerism.”

Cristina Kirchner, now 72, has five business days to appear before the court and receive the formal sentencing notice. Due to her age, she may request house arrest, which she could serve either in Buenos Aires or in Santa Cruz, her home province.

Regardless of whether she ends up in prison or at home, the sentence closes the door on her electoral ambitions — and redefines the Argentine political landscape in a turbulent year. Justice may have spoken. But in a country where politics and the judiciary are deeply intertwined, the consequences of this ruling are only just beginning to unfold.

With information from AFP