"The institutional design was manipulated to channel funds to companies linked to political power. The irregularities were visible and systematic," the ruling states, holding that advance payments, rigged bids, and unfinished projects were part of a premeditated pattern of state asset stripping.
The confiscation also applies to the other convicted individuals and may be enforced through the seizure and subsequent liquidation of assets, property, and associated accounts. The decision sets a precedent regarding the patrimonial scope of penalties for corruption, incorporating a reparative component that until now was virtually unexplored in the country.
From a political standpoint, the conviction definitively buries the electoral aspirations of Cristina Kirchner, who, at 71 years old, could only hope to serve her sentence under house arrest. The permanent disqualification confirms that, at least through judicial means, her cycle as an institutional figure in the country has ended.
The ruling also reaffirms the validity of the entire process, dismissing any violation of the right to defense or arbitrariness. "The sentence is based on compelling evidence and absolute respect for due process," the Court concludes, dismantling the narrative of political persecution that the former president has repeatedly maintained.
