Former first lady Fabiola Yáñez has presented a series of WhatsApp chat messages to the courts in a bid to back up her claim that she did not receive assistance from a top government official after denouncing her former partner Alberto Fernández.
The investigation into gender violence and harassment allegations, made by Yáñez earlier this month against ex-president Fernández, is progressing.
In her initial testimony to the court, the 43-year-old former journalist and presenter said she asked former Women, Gender & Diversity minister Ayelén Mazzina for help regarding the violent situation she alleges to have experienced.
She repeated the claim in a later TV interview.
Last week, Mazzina presented a document to prosecutor Ramiro González’s office denying the ex-first lady’s claims. It denied the allegation that Mazzina was aware of the violence situation she was experiencing while she was the partner of the former president and they were living together at the Olivos presidential residence.
Conversations leaked
The alleged conversations between the two were soon leaked to the press. In one exchange, the former official writes on August 4 at 10.39 pm. “Hi Fabi. Just know I’m there for you. Whatever you need,” Mazzina begins.
In response, Yáñez texted the following day at 12.01pm: "Good morning, I took you to Brazil to give a [press] conference with Janja [Brazilian first lady Rosângela ‘Janja’ da Silva] and asked for help. You were the Gender and Women’s minister.”
She adds: “If you didn’t help me, what’s left for the other female victims like me. Then they save themselves by accusing you of being crazy and that you self-harm. That was the time when I needed help more than ever. It’s still good manners to be thankful. I would have liked things to be different x.”
Mazzina’s response came at 3.02pm: “You never asked for help, you said you had something to tell me. We agreed to meet at the office on several occasions. I texted you many times, I didn’t want to be annoying without knowing what was going on. We could never talk alone, security was always there. I remember you saying ‘they won’t let me talk, I’ll tell you later.’”
“I’m sorry you’re left with that image, yesterday the first thing I did when I read everything was to put together a document we posted on Twitter. I repeat my support for whatever you need. I was always there, I never stopped texting you. You’re important to me. And if you need me to come and see you, I’d get the money to be there for you. Hugs, I’m here,” she responds.
At 4:53pm that day, Yáñez answers: “Thanks a lot, Aye. There’s not much left to do. I’m having a horrible time.”
Mazzina then writes, ending the exchange: “I believe you and I’ll always believe you. I’m speaking from the heart, I’m not the kind of person who turns a blind eye for fear of something. I’m not scared of anything, if I could do something for you I would. And if you need me to travel and be there you can count on me. I can do that, I really care for you. And I think I’ve shown it."
Telephone request
Yáñez’s legal team also asked the courts not to investigate a personal phone she used at the start of Alberto Fernández’s term in office (2019-2023).
“As for number XXX I ask for the same limitation to incoming and outgoing calls I have asked for in terms of other phones,” reads the document pleading, which was accessed by Infobae.
Yáñez’s defence team also provided a medical certificate specifying a crisis with “occipital headaches projecting to the neck, general unrest, weakening, emotional lability and dyspnoea” attributable to a peak of personal stress associated with the alleged abuse she suffers from her former partner.
– TIMES/PERFIL
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