A federal prosecutor on Wednesday formally charged Argentina’s former president Alberto Fernandez with committing violence against Fabiola Yanez, his spouse when he was leading the South American nation.
Prosecutor Ramiro Gonzalez charged Fernandez with the crimes of “minor and serious injuries, doubly aggravated” and “coercive threats” against his ex-partner, according to a ruling seen by The Associated Press.
Gonzalez also requested additional evidence measures, including taking testimonies from former presidential doctor Federico Saavedra and former secretary of the president Maria Cantero, among others.
Yanez, 43, testified Tuesday before an Argentine federal court as part of a case in which she denounced Fernandez for alleged gender violence.
She gave a testimonial statement via video call from Argentina’s consulate in Madrid, where she resides, confirming to prosecutor Gonzalez the complaint she had filed last week in writing.
Fernandez, a left-leaning Peronist politician who was president of Argentina from 2019 to 2023, vigorously denied Yanez’s allegations and promised he would prove to the courts “what really happened.”
Media obtains photos of injured Yanez
In recent days, the Argentine press has published images in which Yanez’s face and armpit can be seen with marks of what would appear to be blows and that the former first lady would have sent via message to Fernandez’s former secretary.
The charges against Fernandez come weeks after Yanez’s accusations first surfaced among thousands of leaked text messages under scrutiny by federal investigators in a separate embezzlement case against Fernandez. That case accuses Fernandez of irregularities in awarding state insurance contracts — allegations he also denies.
A judge previously barred Fernandez from travelling outside Argentina and demanded that he “cease all forms of intimidation or harassment, both directly and indirectly,” toward Yanez.
It’s not clear when the couple’s relationship ended. They welcomed a son while Fernandez was in office in 2022.
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In leaked texts exchanged with Cantero, Yanez recounted episodes of alleged abuse and harassment that occurred when she was pregnant with that child.
Since Yanez’s accusations came to light, the 65-year-old Fernandez has not been seen outside the apartment where he lives in the capital, Buenos Aires.
Fernandez, a former law professor who was deeply unpopular by the end of his presidential term, opted not to run in last year’s election. The candidate from his party was defeated by radical libertarian Javier Milei.