translated from Spanish: President of Argentina donates salaries for partying

Buenos Aires.- After it was learned that the President of Argentina, Alberto Fernández, organized a dinner in the midst of a confinement due to Covid-19, for the birthday of the first lady in 2020, the president offered on Thursday to donate two salaries to a scientific research institute, as compensation for the possible damage caused. The beneficiary of the donation will be the prestigious Malbrán Institute for bacteriological research and a center for the production of vaccines and serums, said a statement from the presidency. Fernandez, a university professor of criminal law, “appeared in court in his own right and without a sponsoring lawyer for the purpose of proposing reparation for the potential damage that may have been caused by offering to deposit half of his salary to the Malbrán Institute for four consecutive months,” the brief report said. The publication two weeks ago of a photo taken on July 14, 2020 during the birthday dinner of first lady Fabiola Yañez, which she shared with a dozen guests at the official residence of Olivos, sparked a barrale of criticism among her own and opponents. The celebration occurred when Argentines were complying with a strict quarantine that prohibited gatherings and prevented even ceremonies to bid farewell to the deceased. After the publication of the photo – which shows a dozen people in an indoor room, very close to each other and without cover – Fernandez apologized for the celebration that he described as “a mistake” that occurred amid the maelstrom of activities and meetings at the Olivos residence, where the government installed its operations center during the pandemic. An opposition foundation denounced the president for alleged violation of the quarantine before Judge Sebastian Cassanello, who must now analyze whether to accept the reparation offered by Fernandez to dismiss him. Yañez and his guests were also brought to justice. Read more: Cheaters? Two presidential candidacies rejected for forging signatures in ChileA total of 111,117 people died and more than 5.1 million contracted coronavirus out of a population of 45 million since the start of the pandemic in Argentina, according to official figures thursday. Video of the modus operandi of the theft of auto parts in the Cuauhtémoc mayor’s office goes viral

Original source in Spanish