Gloria Ruiz ordered to pay damages in Neuquén court ruling

A civil court in Neuquén has ordered former Vice Governor Gloria Ruiz to pay five million pesos plus interest in damages to Bernardo Severini, president of the electric cooperative CALF.

The ruling follows a lawsuit for moral damages after Ruiz filed a criminal complaint against Severini and several other officials, which courts deemed unfounded. The complaint had accused the group of crimes including illicit association, abuse of authority, bribery, and money laundering, alleging a conspiracy to illegally remove her from office following her removal by the provincial Legislature in late 2024.

In addition to the financial penalty, the court ordered Ruiz to publish the ruling in the newspapers Río Negro and La Mañana de Neuquén, as well as on her social media accounts. She is also required to remove all references to the criminal complaint against Severini from her digital platforms.