Sawt Falasteen - Argentine ex-president Fernandez gives statement in corruption case

Fernandez, 65, is suspected of fraudulent administration over his government's use of brokers, one of which had ties to his office, to contract insurance policies that could have been negotiated directly.

The main broker was the husband of Fernandez's personal secretary.

Fernandez, a senior member of the center-left Peronist movement led by polarizing ex-president Cristina Kirchner, has not been charged in the case.

He did not seek reelection after serving a single term in office and handed the keys of the presidential palace to self-described "anarcho-capitalist" President Javier Milei in December.

The corruption allegations emerged when the court ordered an examination of his secretary's phone while investigating assault claims made against Fernandez by his ex-partner Fabiola Yanez.

Yanez in August filed a complaint accusing Fernandez of having beaten her during their relationship, which ended after he left office.

The insurance case involves policies taken out with Nacion Seguros, the insurance arm of state-owned Banco Nacion, which Fernandez chose to cover government departments against various types of risks.

Nearly 40 people have been called to give evidence in the case, including the secretary, her husband and former Nacion Seguros officials.

Fernandez, a lawyer by training, had appealed against his summons to appear in court but it was rejected.

The former president testified but declined to answer questions from the judge, his lawyer Mariana Barbitta told reporters after Wednesday's hearing.

She insisted "there is no evidence" against her client.

The judge in the case, Julian Ercolini, now has 10 working days to decide whether or not to prosecute Fernandez, or to seek more evidence from the prosecution.

The defense has said it would appeal the court's dismissal of its request for Ercolini's recusal.

The Peronist movement, which dominated Argentine politics for most of the country's post-war history, has been dogged by allegations of corruption.

Earlier this month, an appeals court upheld Kirchner's conviction for corruption over the awarding of public works contracts while she was president from 2007 to 2015.

She has been sentenced to six years in prison and declared ineligible to hold elected office but has not yet exhausted all avenues of appeal.

Z.AlNajjar--SF-PST