The U.S. has announced that former Argentine President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner and former planning minister Julio Miguel De Vido are ineligible for entry into the country due to their involvement in significant corruption.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated that both Kirchner and De Vido abused their positions by orchestrating and financially benefiting from multiple bribery schemes related to public works contracts, resulting in millions of dollars being stolen from the Argentine government.
The entry ban also extends to their immediate family members.
Rubio emphasized that their actions undermined the confidence of both the Argentine people and investors in the country's future.
Kirchner served two consecutive terms as president from 2007 to 2015 and was vice president from 2019 to 2023. In recent years, her popularity has declined as legal challenges against her have increased. Last year, a court sentenced her to six years in prison and imposed a lifetime ban on holding office for her role in awarding state contracts to a friend.
Kirchner has denied any wrongdoing and intends to appeal the case to the nation's Supreme Court.