MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Argentina: No more special pensions for CFK after conviction

CFK has no honor to collect any pension money, Adorni pointed out

Former Argentine President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner (CFK) will no longer be collecting her pension nor that of her late husband Néstor Kirchner, also a former Argentine head of state, Presidential Spokesman Manuel Adorni announced Thursday.

 “The benefit provided for by Law 24.018 for former presidents and former vice presidents of the Nation is a non-contributory allowance and is granted on an exceptional and extraordinary basis, in consideration for honor, merit and good performance in the position,” Adorni explained. Since CFK's 6-year prison sentence for corruption was upheld earlier this week, being ”the author of the crime of fraudulent administration (...) represents the opposite of honor, merit and good performance,” the spokesman added.

President Javier Milei's instructions in this regard will result in monthly savings worth around AR$ 21,827,000 (about US$ 22,000) for th South American countrry's coffers.

These compensations for “former presidents is a privilege that should not exist in Argentina, even more so if the person who receives it is convicted of swindling millions from Argentines who saw their hopes vanish at the hands of politics from the highest spheres of power,” Adorni also pointed out.

“This is nothing more and nothing less than granting a mantle of common sense and sanity to public management. During President Milei's term in office, Argentina will not allocate funds to any person convicted of corruption and who has sullied the honor and dignity of Argentines”, he added.

After landing in Florida, USA, President Milei celebrated the measure. The Argentine head of state is to stay in the Sunshine State until Friday to attend the Conservative Action Political Conference (CPAC) at the Mar-a-Lago complex.

Milei also relayed a social media posting by Defense Minister Luis Petri reading that “more than 20 million pesos per month come out of the pocket of a convicted woman and return to the Argentines. Once again, President Javier puts an end to the privileges of the caste.”

Also while in th US, President Milei reportedly intends to discuss a possible Free Trade Agreement with President-elect Donald Trump, whom he hopes to meet at th CPAC before rushing back to Buenos Aires for his encounter with French President Emmanuel Macron at Casa Rosada.