US sanctions Argentina's Cristina Fernández de Kirchner and a former minister

Antonio Maria Delgado, Miami Herald on Mar 21, 2025

By clicking submit, I authorize Arcamax and its affiliates to: (1) use, sell, and share my information for marketing purposes, including cross-context behavioral advertising, as described in our Privacy Policy , (2) add to information that I provide with other information like interests inferred from web page views, or data lawfully obtained from data brokers, such as past purchase or location data, or publicly available data, (3) contact me or enable others to contact me by email or other means with offers for different types of goods and services, and (4) retain my information while I am engaging with marketing messages that I receive and for a reasonable amount of time thereafter. I understand I can opt out at any time through an email that I receive, or by clicking here

The Trump administration imposed sanctions Friday on former Argentine President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner and her former planning minister, Julio de Vido, in light of the “significant” corruption charges against them in their home country, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said.

“Today, I am announcing the designation of Cristina Elisabet Fernandez de Kirchner (“CFK”), former president of Argentina, and Julio Miguel De Vido (“De Vido”), former Minister of Planning of Argentina, for their involvement in significant corruption during their time in public office. This action renders CFK, De Vido, and their immediate family members generally ineligible for entry into the United States”, Rubio said in a press release.

Rubio said that Fernández and De Vido abused their positions “by orchestrating and financially benefittng from multiple bribery schemes involving public works contracts, resulting in millions of dollars stolen from the Argentine government.”

Multiple courts have convicted Fernández and De Vido of corruption, undermining the Argentine people’s and investors’ confidence in Argentina’s future, he said.

Fernández, who served as president from 2007-11 and as vice president from 2011-15, has been involved in a series of corruption scandals over the years, including most notably the Vialidad case, in which it was alleged that she favored businessman Lázaro Báez, who was reportedly close to her late husband, former President Néstor Kirchner.

In December 2022, Fernández de Kirchner was sentenced to six years in prison and banned from holding public office, though she remains free due to her vice-presidential immunity and is appealing the ruling.

De Vido was at the center of his own set of corruption scandals, including accusations of having received $25 million in bribes from giant Brazilian construction company Odebrecht.