The Buenos Aires Federal Chamber has upheld the indictment of the Kirchnerist former president Alberto Fernández in the Seguros case, which investigates irregularities in the contracting of insurance by public agencies during his term.
The former president faces charges of fraudulent administration and for allegedly engaging in negotiations incompatible with his duties as a public official.
The Court of Appeals also upheld the indictments, asset freezes, and travel bans for broker Héctor Martínez Sosa, his wife and Fernández's former private secretary, María Cantero, along with other defendants.
Regarding the former president, judges Martín Irurzun and Roberto Boico stated that "the exercise of influence by then President of the Nation Alberto Fernández, through his secretary María Cantero, (...) had as its characteristic and central factor the favoring of the named individual."
They detailed that, "to carry out the operations, officials from Nación Seguros (from the board of directors and the commercial and financial managements linked to relations with the Public Sector) and, in certain cases, from the involved entities, had direct involvement. Meanwhile, there was collusion with private individuals who acted as insurance producers under Martínez Sosa's organization."
The judges noted that, "the concentration of the State's insurance policies in Nación Seguros, since the issuance of the Decree by Fernández, resulted in an exponential increase in the potential business opportunities arising from that relationship. Everything demonstrates that this was taken advantage of."
They also emphasized that, "there is revealing evidence that Fernández personally intervened, at their request, to ensure the continuation of business that involved them. This was reflected in the exchanges uncovered in the investigation, as well as in the practical consequences that such involvement had."
For the Chamber, what happened reveals "direct involvement by Alberto Fernández, making use of the position he held."
