[JURIST] Former Argentinian President Fernando de la Rua [BBC profile] Tuesday denied charges [BBC report] that he attempted to bribe lawmakers with millions of dollars to secure the approval of labor reforms during his presidency from 1999 to December 2001. Judge Daniel Rafecas formally charged de la Rua Monday. Nine other former officials are facing related bribery charges. De la Rua's lawyer said that he will appeal to have the charges dropped. De la Rua could be sentenced to as many as six years in prison if convicted. AP has more.

These are not the first charges brought against de la Rua. In December 2004, an Argentinian court charged [JURIST report] him with improperly allocating public funds for his own private use and for the use of his political party while serving in public office. In October 2007, he was charged with five counts of manslaughter [JURIST report] for failing to prevent the deaths of five demonstrators during 2001 confrontations with police in Buenos Aires. The deaths came during riots sparked by a national economic crisis [BBC report] that caused de la Rua to flee the presidential residence and eventually resign his office just two years into his term.