Thousands march in Buenos Aires as ex-president Kirchner starts house arrest

Tens of thousands of Argentines marched in the streets of Buenos Aires on Wednesday, banging drums and chanting in a show of support for ex-president Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner as she started a six-year sentence under house arrest for corruption.

Kirchner, a two-term president from 2007-2015, is the country's most prominent politician in recent decades, though her leftist brand of populism sharply divides opinion. She is the nemesis of current libertarian President Javier Milei.

Supporters from her Peronist movement took to the streets with flares, giant posters with her image, and banners saying "Always With Cristina", a reflection of how she retains popular backing with her core supporter base. Kirchner, 72, claims the allegations against her are politically driven.

"It was what they needed to get rid of her, so she wouldn't be in the (election) running. They knew she could beat them," said Laura Abal, 66, a pedicurist who took part in the march, referring to Kirchner's foiled plans to run as a local lawmaker.

Kirchner has some 20% voter support, polls show, though is opposed by many who recall her interventionist policies. She still holds huge sway over the opposition Peronists, Argentina's dominant political bloc in the last half century.

Argentina's Supreme Court last week upheld a 2022 conviction against Kirchner related to a fraud scheme involving public projects in the southern Patagonia region. That also included a lifetime ban from holding public political office.

Some analysts say the detention could, though boost her image by making her a political martyr, adding she could potentially exercise influence from her Buenos Aires apartment where the judge ordered that she serve out her sentence due to her age.

"Can I go out on my balcony or not?" Fernández humorously asked on Wednesday on the social network X, a reference to how she could rouse the crowds in the streets below in potential violation of court orders not to cause disruption.

Presidential spokesman Manuel Adorni on Wednesday avoided crowing over the sentence, though hailed the fact that "justice" had prevailed.

"The arrest of a former president is not pleasant for any democracy, although, of course, it is a source of joy that justice exists and puts some things right," he said.