Fabiola Yáñez, ex-wife of Alberto Fernández, breaks her silence and speaks about alleged abuse by the former president of Argentina

The former Argentine first lady Fabiola Yáñez spoke this Saturday for the first time about the alleged violence to which she was subjected by former President Alberto Fernández, who, she said, constantly threatened to commit suicide, said that she took care of him for many years despite “the things he has done.”

The 43-year-old actress and journalist made these statements in an exclusive interview in Madrid, where she lives with her two-year-old son Francisco, given to the Argentine portal Infobae, the first since the complaint filed with the Justice of his country against the former president (2019-2023) for physical violence and harassment became known.

Yanez said that Fernandez committed numerous infidelities during their relationship; She reported having been mistreated “for five years”; and acknowledged that she spent her last months as first lady, until last December, separated from the then president in the guest house at Quinta de Olivos (presidential residence) and not in another address to avoid “a scandal.”

Fernández’s ex-partner was questioned about the publication of photographs showing her with bruises on various parts of her body, which were leaked to the press this week from the court file.

“I was devastated, but I was devastated for my son. I would never have wanted a photo of me like that to appear. What woman wants to see herself on all the television programmes and in the media of the world like that? I don’t understand how the chats were leaked and the photo was saved for the last moment (…) I don’t think there is a woman in the world who wants to see herself like that. There are other causes of violence that are always private,” she said.

However, he acknowledged that all the material released “comes from someone else’s phone,” referring to one of Fernández’s secretary’s, whose motive is being investigated for a case of alleged corruption that could also affect the former president.

I don’t think there is a woman in the world who wants to look like that. There are other causes of violence that are always private.

Yáñez, who declined to provide further details about the alleged physical abuse out of respect for the legal case, claimed to have suffered “telephone harassment” and “psychological terrorism.”

“This person (Fernández) spent two months – all the chats are there and many people know about it – threatening me every other day that if I did this, if I did that, he would commit suicide. That is not done, that is a crime. How am I going to be there for my son if I have a person telling me those things? Every other day, for two months. But that was the last thing this person did,” she declared.

The former first lady acknowledged that her love story with Fernández lasted 14 years, but that it had broken down in recent times. and claimed that he had been unfaithful to several famous women, whom he did not identify.

“I have looked after this man; I have looked after him from so many things that he has done, from so many things, that those videos that appeared the other day are nothing compared to the things that he has done,” said Yáñez, referring to the filming allegedly taken by the then president in the Casa Rosada of a well-known radio and television journalist, who appears to be flirting with him, although only his alleged voice is heard off-screen.

Those videos that appeared the other day are nothing compared to the things he has done.

Yáñez said she had not received help from the Ministry of Women, Gender and Diversity, created by Fernández in 2019, and stated that she had made the decision to report “for all the women who feel that they cannot do anything and who are victims of this type of violence, whether psychological and/or physical, whatever it may be.”

“I have never been a feminist, but violence against women is one of the most reprehensible things that can exist in this world,” she said.

Following the complaint filed on August 6, Federal Judge Julián Ercolini prohibited Fernández from leaving Argentina and ordered him not to approach or contact Yáñez in any way.

That day, in a brief statement, the former president denied the accusations against him and said he would present evidence of their falsehood to the courts.