Argentina's vice president charged with corruption

Amado Boudou, the Harley Davidson-riding, guitar-playing political showman has become the first vice president of Argentina to face criminal charges.

Mr Boudou, 51, was charged with bribery and "conducting business incompatible with public office". The charges relate to his alleged acquisition of the company that prints the country's currency, and of later benefiting from government contracts. He is accused of using shell companies and secret middlemen to gain control of the Ciccone Calcografica printing company, which was given contracts to print the Argentine peso and campaign material for the ticket he shared with President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner.

A former economy minister, Mr Boudou was with Mrs Kirchner in Cuba when he heard of the judge's ruling on Friday afternoon.

He took the news calmly, sources told Clarin, the Argentine newspaper.

"He thought that the charges could be made," a source told the paper. "What was surprising was that the charges were made yesterday, as the investigation had been widened."