Buenos Aires, Aug 27 (AP) A federal prosecutor has accused Argentine President Alberto Fernandez of apparently violating his own pandemic restrictions decree by joining a dozen other people at his wife's birthday party.

The action by prosecutor Ramiro Gonzalez means Fernandez could face a criminal investigation.

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The party was held last year at the presidential residence at a time when the government had banned social gatherings to impede the spread of COVID-19.

Investigators began looking into the case when a photo circulated this month showing Fernandez together with his wife Fabiola Yanez and other unmasked people standing around a table with with remnants of a party.

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The government acknowledged that the photograph was taken on July 14, 2020, at a moment when restrictions were in place. The president publicly apologised.

While the president is in no risk of going to prison for such an offence, it has dented his image ahead of November's legislative elections. (AP)

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)