The ex-partner of former Argentine President Alberto Fernández has accused him of both physical and emotional abuse, as conveyed by an Argentine court order released on Tuesday. The allegations have shocked the nation, potentially damaging the reputation of the moderate leftist figure. The Buenos Aires federal court has initiated a criminal investigation into the accusations, which include claims of “psychological terrorism,” phone harassment, and physical abuse against Fernández by Fabiola Yáñez, his former partner for over eight years and mother of his second child.
Yáñez, who testified remotely from Madrid, detailed the charges of daily threats, psychological intimidation, and causing her “minor injuries in a context of gender-based violence.” The court order did not elaborate on the specifics of the physical violence allegations. Fernández, a left-leaning Peronist politician who led Argentina from 2019 to 2023, vigorously refuted the accusations and vowed to demonstrate the truth in court.
In response, the judge granted Yáñez a restraining order prohibiting the former president from approaching within 500 meters of her or contacting her. Fernández has also been restricted from leaving Argentina and instructed to cease all forms of intimidation or harassment toward Yáñez. Additionally, Argentine authorities were tasked with providing Yáñez with police protection.
These developments transpired following the surfacing of Yáñez’s allegations within numerous leaked text messages under investigation in a separate embezzlement case against Fernández. The texts, exchanged with Fernández’s former private secretary, detailed instances of abuse and harassment experienced by Yáñez during her pregnancy with their 2-year-old son, Francisco.
While initially hesitant to pursue legal action, Yáñez had a change of heart and formally pressed charges against the former president. During his tenure, Fernández, alongside former President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner, presided over a tumultuous period in Argentina marked by severe economic challenges including high inflation and increased poverty. Fernández, a former law professor, did not seek re-election in 2023, a decision influenced by public dissatisfaction with the country’s economic decline, which contributed to the election of President Javier Milei.
