The trial against former President Cristina Kirchner in the 'Notebooks' case has begun. The judicial process started remotely with the reading of the indictment for the crimes of illicit association and bribery before the Federal Oral Court 7.
"The court must ensure the presence of everyone, I ask the people who are not on camera to show themselves, and to take the necessary measures so that I can see them," said the judge.
In response, the former president appeared on screen alongside her lawyer Carlos Beraldés from her home at San José 1111, where she is serving a six-year house arrest sentence for fraudulent administration in the Vialidad case.
First day: the readings The court secretary, María Cecilia Chichizola, began reading the indictment, which narrates how the case began and details the accusations against the former president as an accomplice in relation to at least 40 cases of alleged bribes paid by businessmen to then government officials such as Roberto Baratta and José López, who were also tried. A total of 87 accused are on trial.
Throughout the day, the charges against the accused in the main case, 9.608, opened in 2018, when the late federal judge Claudio Bonadio ordered measures based on the research boost resolution issued by Stornelli, were heard.
That court was handling the case for crimes related to the purchase of liquefied gas during the Kirchner era, and Hilda Horowitz, the ex-wife of taxi driver Oscar Centeno, author of the notebooks, had testified and came forward to say she had information.
The trial against former President Cristina Kirchner in the 'Notebooks' case began this Thursday remotely with the reading of the prosecutor's indictment for the crimes of illicit association and bribery before the Federal Oral Court 7.
"Cristina Kirchner intervened in the illicit association as the head": the indictment in the 'Notebooks' trial
The former head of state connected via Zoom and was forced by the judges to appear on camera.
"This oral and public trial is declared open," announced the president of the court, Enrique Méndez Signori, after verifying the presence in the mega-zoom of all 87 accused, their lawyers, prosecutor Fabiana León, and the plaintiff from the Financial Information Unit (UIF).
Thus, the full reading of the prosecutor's request to elevate the case to trial began, led by prosecutor Carlos Stornelli: it reached enumerating 40 cases of alleged bribes paid by businessmen, in which the prosecution considers the former president an accomplice as the ultimate beneficiary.
The judges Méndez Signori, Fernando Canero, and Germán Castelli connected from an audience chamber at the Palace of Justice on Talcahuano 550, where that court is based, and minutes earlier had allowed access for press photographers to take pictures.
The famous 'notebooks of bribes'.
According to the indictment, Centeno, fearing a raid, handed over a cardboard box with the eight notebooks and other documents to a friend, Jorge Bacigalupo. All of this was received from the latter by journalist Diego Cabota in early 2018, according to the court case. The journalist took the evidence to Comodoro Py within the framework of this already open case, and Bonadio decided to open a new investigation.
All of this was reviewed during the reading of the accusation broadcast by the YouTube channel of the Judicial Power.
With all parties already in Zoom, the reading began, interrupted a few minutes later by Judge Méndez Signori because not all the accused were showing up on camera, among them Cristina Kirchner.
"I note that not all the accused appear on camera. The prosecutor Fabiana León and the UIF plaintiff are participating in the trial," the judge said.
The trial began shortly before 10:30, almost an hour later than scheduled, ended in the late afternoon, and will resume next Thursday with another day of reading the prosecutor's indictment.
