Alberto Fernández accused of seeking political gain by extending Covid-19 lockdowns
Tuesday, September 3, 2024 – 09:55 UTC
Martín Guzmán considered that the pandemic gave more political strength to Alberto Fernández
Federal prosecutor Guillermo Marijuan and Buenos Aires City deputy Yamil Santoro filed criminal complaints on Monday against former President Alberto Fernández after Martín Guzmán, who was Minister of Economy under his mandate, said in an interview that the Covid-19 quarantines were extended to obtain political benefits and not for a health issue.
Marijuán spoke of “abuse of authority,” while Santoro, a lawyer by profession, believes that the former head of state should answer for “unlawful deprivation of liberty” against the population.
Fernández is already facing criminal charges for alleged acts of corruption in relation to the Executive Branch’s contracting of insurance policies through a friendly broker, in addition to the domestic violence he allegedly committed against the then first lady Fabiola Yáñez.
“I think it became a more political issue,” Guzmán said regarding the measures adopted between 2020 and 2021. It was “the management of the pandemic that made the government strong,” he also argued. “For me (the quarantine) was longer than it should have been. Given the technical information I had, it was longer than it should have been,” he insisted.
“For a long time, (the lockdowns) were a ‘no way’ and then I think it became a more political issue, a political banner,” Guzmán said.
In response, presidential spokesman Manuel Adorni said: “They locked you up during a pandemic only because it was politically profitable for them. However, they say that the dictatorship is Javier Milei. The end.”
“Don’t take me out of context,” Guzmán replied. “These are the words of someone who was the Minister of Economy. In the context of a pandemic, all decisions are about public health,” he continued.
“It was I who demonstrated in mid-2021 that, with the economy growing strongly and real registered wages recovering, real unregistered wages fell… not as a consequence of the supposed adjustment attributed to me, but of the health restrictions,” explained the economist, who also questioned the libertarian administration for “causing a more damaging effect than the pandemic in the most unprotected sectors.”
”Entire families unable to say goodbye to their loved ones, bankrupt companies, children without classes, abuse of power, persecution, theft of health supplies, VIP vaccinators and parties in [la residencia presidencial de] “Olivos. They ruined the lives of Argentines for convenience and political speculation. They are not coming back!” stressed the Minister of Defense, Luis Petri.
