MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Cristina Fernandez flies to Cuba to be next to her sick daughter

CFK suggested Florencia's poor health was caused by “the fierce persecution to which she has been subjected to”, a reference to ongoing criminal investigations

Ex-Argentine president Cristina Fernández de Kirchner left on Thursday for Cuba to assist her 29-year-old daughter Florencia, who is receiving medical treatment. In a dramatic video posted on her Twitter, the senator for Buenos Aires province said that her daughter was suffering from ”severe health problems” and began special treatment in Cuba last December.

Although she did not specify her daughter's condition, Fernández de Kirchner suggested that Florencia's poor health was a consequence of ”the fierce persecution to which she has been subjected” to, a reference to ongoing criminal investigations against both the former president and members of her immediate family, including Florencia.

Cristina Fernandez and her two children, Maximo and Florencia, are standing trial on money-laundering allegations in the so-called 'Hotesur case,' the investigation exploring a corruption ring centered on public works graft and the fraudulent rental of hotels rooms involving businessman Lázaro Baez.

Prosecutors believe the Kirchner-owned Hotesur firm was used to launder money and pay bribes, through a corporate, economic and accounting structure that allowed the parties involved to launder illicit funds. The hypothesis of the investigation is that Báez lent the Kirchners money to buy the hotels and used Valle Miter to exploit them as mechanisms to launder money.

According to the casefile, a total of 86 million pesos were paid by Valle Miter SRL to Hotesur SA for the payment of rental fees for rooms at various Kirchner family hotels, namely Alto Calafate, Las Dunas and La Aldea. Much of this accounting network was confessed by the family's accountant turned into privileged witness Victor Manzanares.

Although she is not obliged to do so at present, despite the raft of corruption accusations against her, the former president informed a federal court Wednesday that she would travel for Cuba to accompany her daughter for seven days, during which Florencia will receive medical treatment. She left the country via a 4.40am Copa Airlines flight out of Ezeiza International Airport on Thursday, accompanied by custodians from the federal police.

Fernández de Kirchner said her daughter was told that she should start treatment after visiting medical facilities in Cuba. “She decided to go through a medical consultation there, due to the international prestige and high quality of the Cuban health system,” she is reported to have said.

In the Twitter video, the ex-president said the Hotesur case has brought great stress upon Florencia, linking the allegations – which all members of the family deny – with the investigation.

Quiero compartir con ustedes lo que nos está pasando. pic.twitter.com/kGszGfzbzb

— Cristina Kirchner (@CFKArgentina) 14 de marzo de 2019

“The persecution they have done on her and that has devastated her is because she is the daughter of Néstor and Cristina Kirchner,” she said. Florencia’s father, former president Néstor Kirchner, died in October of 2010.

Allegedly Florencia has difficulties resting and sleeping because of nightmares fearing she will end in prison.

If found guilty and handed a prison sentence in a trial, Fernández de Kirchner and her son, Maximo, would likely not go to jail. As sitting lawmakers, they hold parliamentary immunity. Florencia, however, would likely find herself behind bars.

“I was twice president of this country, and I have chosen political militancy for formation and conviction... On the other hand, Florencia has chosen a different life: art and feminist militancy,” said the former president. Allegedly Florencia originally went to Cuba to attend a cinema school.

The former president and current Senator called on all those ”who hate us, because they see us as their enemies, please come after me and not after her (Florencia)”