Argentine Justice raids former president Alberto Fernandez's apartment and seizes his phone in the middle of the investigation for beating his former partner

Alberto Fernandez, former president of Argentina, is under investigation for beating his former first lady, Fabiola Yañez. After photos surfaced showing Yañez's face and arms with bruises, the courts decided to raid the apartment of the former Argentine president, whose cell phone was seized.

The prosecutor in the case, Carlos Rívolo, ordered the raid after some complaints by Yañez, who claimed to be a victim of "psychological terrorism." Therefore, the authorities decided to "check if the harassment continued after being notified" that he was not to have contact with the former first lady.

For two days, Fernandez has been locked up in an apartment located in the exclusive area of Puerto Madero, where a group of family members and former officials have been emotionally supporting him, since he had threatened to take his own life.

The former president is in the spotlight of public scrutiny after an investigation for alleged irregularities during his government ended up unleashing a much bigger scandal. According to conversations contained in the seized cell phone of María Cantero, Fernández's secretary, references were found about the alleged violence of which Yáñez, currently in Spain, had been a victim. Hours later, photos of Yañez with bruises and screenshots in which the former first lady reproaches Fernandez for hitting her for three days in a row began to circulate.

There was also a flirtatious video that went viral showing the former president talking to a famous journalist from Argentina, Tamara Pettinato. The video was filmed by Fernandez himself and shows the columnist drinking beer in the presidential office while they have a suggestive conversation.

"What are you doing?" the former president asks at the beginning of the video. "Dedicating a love letter to you, for you," Pettinato answers. Immediately after, Fernández asks her about the contents of the letter and the radio columnist assures the following: "I am the love of your life, I love you," while showing the letter to the camera.

The day Fernandez became a standard bearer of feminism

As a result of the accusations, several Argentine media recalled some statements made by the former president during his four years in the Casa Rosada. Among them, one that took place in March 2022, in the framework of International Women's Day, stood out.

That time, Fernandez, who decided not to seek another term in 2023, that it was "inadmissible" that inequality exists and called to "denounce the violent."

"I am ashamed that in Argentina a woman suffers gender violence. And, therefore, we must understand once and for all that this cannot continue to happen. We must denounce the violent ones who, just because of their gender condition, subjugate a woman," he added.

Fernández often referred to himself as the "first feminist."

Cristina Kirchner's reaction

After more than a day of silence, Cristina Kirchner, former president and then vice-president of Fernández, expressed herself on X about the investigation.

"Alberto Fernández was not a good president. (...) The photos of Mrs. Fabiola Yañez with bruises on her body and face together with the published chats that reveal the dialogue between her and the former president, not only show the beating she received, but also reveal the most sordid and darkest aspects of the human condition. They allow us to see, once again and dramatically, the situation of women in any relationship, whether it takes place in a palace or in a shack," she wrote.

"Misogyny, machismo and hypocrisy, pillars on which verbal or physical violence against women is based, have no partisan flag and cross society at all levels," she added in his defense.