Argentina vice president defends herself against corruption charges

By Laura Gamba

BOGOTA, Colombia (AA) - Argentina's Vice President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner defended herself Tuesday after a prosecutor asked that she be sentenced to 12 years in prison for corruption.

"I already have the written sentence," Kirchner said in an hour-and-a-half-long speech in her office in Congress. Her remarks were laced with harsh criticisms of Argentina’s judicial system.

​​Kirchner, 69, is accused by Prosecutor Diego Luciani of fraudulently awarding and overpricing public works contracts in the southern province of Santa Cruz during her two terms as president from 2007 to 2015.

Most of the contracts benefitted allies of the Kirchner family -- some of whom have already been convicted of corruption.

Luciani also sought "special life disqualification" from public office for Kirchner who has political immunity while she serves as vice president and president of the Senate.

Kirchner showed documents and read messages related to the case. She said prosecutors have a script that is "quite bad, by the way, besides being false."

"The prosecutor is asking for 12 years because they were the best 12 years for Argentinians," said Kirchner, while listing the achievements of her administration. "That is why they are going to stigmatize me and condemn me," she said.

Luciani announced Monday that the prosecution found irregularities in 51 bids over the course of 12 years.

"This is probably the biggest corruption maneuver that has ever been known in the country," he said.

Kirchner, who claims to be the target of political persecution, criticized the accusation, writing on Twitter that she was being judged by “a media-judicial firing squad.".

Dueling groups for and against have gathered in front of her residence in Buenos Aires.