Former President Cristina Kirchner’s defense team requested permission from judges of the Federal Court N°2 permission for Brazilian President Lula Da Silva to visit her at her home in Buenos Aires. She is currently serving a house arrest sentence in her apartment in the neighborhood of Constitución following the Supreme Court ruling in the “Vialidad” case.

This was confirmed on Tuesday by Judge Jorge Gorini, Gonzalo Giménez Uriburu and Andrés Basso, to the French news agency AFP.

Under the terms of the six-year house-arrest order, Kirchner must request authorization for visitation outside of her family, doctors and legal team. 

The former president’s lawyer, Alberto Beraldi, formally requested permission from the judges for the Brazilian president’s visit while he is in Argentina.

“Cristina Kirchner’s defense team today filed a written request for authorization for Lula’s visit,” Judge Jorge Gorini told the agency. He added that the Court has “not yet responded” to the request.

Lula will arrive in Buenos Aires on Wednesday evening for Thursday’s Mercosur summit, where he will assume the temporary presidency of the organization. 

Kirchner and Lula’s history

During their overlapping terms in office, Kirchner and Lula worked closely to strengthen ties between Argentina and Brazil. Both left-wing leaders emphasised the importance of regional cooperation through Mercosur, aiming to boost trade and reduce reliance on external markets. 

Their partnership reflected a broader political alignment, with a shared focus on economic integration and promoting South American interests on the international stage.

In the aftermath of the 2008 global financial crisis, Kirchner and Lula coordinated efforts to protect their countries’ economies from external shocks. The two leaders discussed mechanisms to promote bilateral trade and considered alternatives to using the US dollar in regional transactions. Brazil remains Argentina’s biggest trading partner.

Following Lula’s return to the presidency in 2023, ties between Argentina and Brazil were quickly re-established at the highest political level. Kirchner, then Argentina’s vice president, welcomed Lula’s comeback, with both leaders expressing interest in reviving regional cooperation.

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