For the past week, members of social movements, trade unions, community organizations, and political groups have congregated outside the home of Cristina Fernández de Kirchner (CFK) to stand in solidarity with the former president. She addressed the thousands of activists Wednesday, stating: “Today is the time to show that we will defend democracy.”
From early in the morning, tens of thousands gathered in Plaza de Mayo, some marching from outside Fernández’s home, to demonstrate their rejection of the state persecution of CFK.
Cristina habló y la militancia cantó: “Ohh, vamos a volveeer” 🎼 pic.twitter.com/izgJt1nLgn
— El Grito del Sur (@Grito_delSur) June 18, 2025
“The true economic powers know this model has no future; they know it’s collapsing,” Fernández said in an audio message, broadcast through Plaza de Mayo’s loudspeakers for the massive crowd. “They can lock me up, but they won’t be able to lock up the entire Argentine people.”
The mass mobilization comes a week after the Argentine judiciary ruled that Fernández must serve six years in prison and be banned from working in the public sector for the rest of her life.
Yesterday, a judge decreed that she would serve house arrest.
Fernández, who has been president on two occasions as well as vice-president, senator, and deputy, is one of the most important political figures of the Argentine opposition to the neoliberal and far-right President Javier Milei. The conviction effectively bars her from further attempts at elected office and seeks to end her political life.
“Vialidad” case
Fernández is convicted of participating, during the administration of her husband, Néstor Kirchner in 2008, in an alleged corruption scheme called “Vialidad”. The case involves several highways and other road infrastructure that were allegedly built in favor of Lázaro Báez’s companies. Fernández and her defense deny all the accusations and have even announced that they will file a lawsuit in the International Criminal Court for “political persecution”.
Fernández affirmed that an injustice was being committed against her, although she is complying with the sentence. The defense requested house arrest, which she qualifies for due to her age (72 years old) as well as the threats she may face in prison. “This is not a privilege. On the contrary, it is due to strict personal security reasons,” the former president said.
Fernandez also pointed out that her life has already been at risk, so house arrest is even more warranted: “On September 1, 2022, when I was Vice President of the Nation, I was the target of an assassination attempt,” she recalled. “‘The bullet did not fire’ by a true and authentic miracle, for which I will always thank God.”
House arrest
For their part, prosecutors Diego Luciani and Sergio Mola denied her request, stating that “there are no humanitarian reasons” to justify house arrest. Nevertheless, the court decided to grant house arrest to Fernández, who will have to wear an electronic shackle.
The court ruled that she will be able to receive visits from her family, lawyers, and doctors, but she will have to formally request permission for other people to enter her house, located in the Constitución neighborhood of Buenos Aires. In addition, she has been forbidden to carry out political work or actions of any kind “that may disturb the tranquility of the neighborhood and/or alter the peaceful coexistence of its inhabitants.”
Massive support to Fernández
During the last few weeks, the home of Cristina Fernández has become a sort of pilgrimage site and vigil for Peronist militants, who have taken to the streets to support their leader. A sort of semi-permanent camp has even been set up outside the house, demonstrating the support Fernández has.
🔥🇦🇷 Decenas de cuadras de manifestantes rodean la casa de Cristina Fernández de Kirchner luego de la confirmación de la proscripción política de la Corte Suprema.
👉🏼 Compartí el video. Y si lo compartís copate y cita la fuente: es de @nhernandez6015 para @elgritodelsur 😍 pic.twitter.com/opTsvVt8TF
— El Grito del Sur (@Grito_delSur) June 11, 2025
On Wednesday, buses arrived from all over the country to attend the mass mobilization in support of Fernández at Plaza de Mayo. Tens of thousands of people gathered to denounce the alleged use of the Argentine justice system by economic and political powers to persecute the opposition.
In her message to the crowd in Plaza de Mayo, Fernández proclaimed: “And wherever I may be, whatever trench I may be in, I will continue to do everything in my power to be there with you, just as you have always been there for me. But we will do it, because we have something that they will never have or be able to buy, no matter how much money they have: we have our people, we have our memory, we have our history, and we have our homeland. We will return. The people always come back in the end. Today is the time to show that we will defend democracy.”
The Argentine Workers’ Central (CTA) also attended the demonstration, under the slogan ”No to the Ban! Argentina is with Cristina! For Argentina, let’s go to Plaza de Mayo!”
According to the national senator of Union for the Homeland, Oscar Parrilli, the government ordered the detention of several buses: “To me, it reminds me of what happened during the military dictatorship, where the Gendarmerie and all the forces stopped you, detained you, checked your bags and documents.” Nevertheless, the call has brought together many forces.
The General Confederation of Labor (CGT), the main labor federation in the country, joined the march, stating that the popular rally is a direct response to the unjust, partial, and arbitrary sentence against the opposition figure. “The workers will be at the side of our unjustly condemned comrade,” CGT said in a post on X.
“The workers have memory, and we will demonstrate in the streets to repudiate the unjust proscription in defense of democracy.”
