Argentine President Javier Milei lauded the “independent judiciary” for convicting ex-President Cristina Kirchner in a speech at an Israeli university on Thursday. He added that the outcome is proof of independence of powers and in line with his campaign promise of ensuring that “what goes around, comes around.” 

“All I can say is that I have been consistent with my Republican values in letting judges act freely,” he said, according to Argentine media outlets present at the event. Milei added that justice can be speedy when the executive branch is not interfering, calling himself “the first president” not to meddle in legal proceedings.

Argentina’s Supreme Court upheld former President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner’s conviction in the “Vialidad” corruption case on Tuesday. She was sentenced to six years in prison and a lifelong ban on holding public office. 

The ruling means 72-year-old Kirchner has exhausted her appeals, and her sentence can take effect. Last week, she announced her candidacy to be a local legislator in Buenos Aires province, but the definitive sentence bars her from running.

The president made these remarks during a presentation at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem, part of his agenda as he completes his presidential trip through Europe and Israel. This is the first time he has spoken publicly about the confirmation of Kirchner’s conviction, given that he had only commented on the issue on social media.

Milei celebrated the ruling, writing “Justice. The end.” on X following the Supreme Court’s announcement. He also denied rumors that he had cut a deal with Kirchner to guarantee her impunity, calling it a smear by “corrupt journalists, accomplices of lying politicians.” He replaced each S with a $ sign.

The president’s post was in response to what the government has called a smear campaign by certain opposition members and media outlets regarding the failure of the anti-graft bill known as Ficha Limpia (Clean Record). The bill called for any person who had two firm sentences from separate courts in a corruption case to be banned from running for public office, an outcome Peronism said specifically targeted Cristina Kirchner.

Two different versions of the bill fell through in Congress between November 2024 and May of this year. And while the failure in both cases cannot be attributed to La Libertad Avanza lawmakers voting against the projects, the suspicion that the ruling coalition indirectly sunk the bill because it preferred to compete against Kirchner never dispelled.