Lucia Salinas
07/15/2020 - 10:17
- Clarín.com
- Politics
After four letters sent to the Judicial Council, the Federal Oral Court 2 (TOF 2) obtained a date to carry out the first pilot test in which it will seek to corroborate if the virtual platform is secure and stable to resume hearings in the trial for the alleged corruption in public works. The technical testing in the case whose main defendant is Cristina Kirchner - plus 15 other defendants - will take place on July 21 .
The decision comes after a controversial debate regarding the technical impossibilities that the Council of the Magistracy adduced for the realization of great trials in a virtual way. In addition, the body responsible for managing the funds of the Judiciary - chaired by Alberto Lugones - had ensured that there was an extensive list of cases that had priority , before the one involving the former president.
The case, which is being carried out by judges Jorg Gorini, Andrés Basso and Rodrigo Giménez Uriburu, is charged with Cristina as the head of an alleged illegal association that defrauded the State by directing public road works contracts in favor of businessman Lázaro Báez, friend and partner of the Kirchners. This materialized in 51 tenders for 46,000 million pesos in 12 years of K administration.
The trial began a year ago, and was suspended in March as a result of the Covid19 pandemic, which is why the prosecutor before the Court, Diego Luciani, had requested that the hearings be resumed virtually. This had a first response from the Directorate of Technology of the Council of the Magistracy, where it was pointed out that for the moment the technical conditions were not given to carry out a trial of this magnitude: 16 accused and at least 50 people connected .
Now, according to the resolution to which Clarín agreed , the Council provided the system to TOF 2 through which it will be able to carry out the trial under the blended modality . The proposal to resume in this way, was accepted by the former president but questioned by Báez and former officials Julio De Vido, Carlos Kirchner, José López, among others. However, when analyzing the situation, the judges decided to retake the case .
The trial hearing will be held next Tuesday at 15. All those involved must complete some preliminary steps and the stability of the platform provided by the Judicial Council will be tested. "A technical test will have to be carried out under the conditions established on June 23. That is, the Court and its Clerk will do so in person in Room B and the rest of the participants will act remotely through the videoconference assigned by the Council of the Magistracy ", sustains the resolution to which Clarín agreed .
Anyway, it is speculated that it might not be the only technical test: the TOF 4 that judges Lázaro Báez on the Ruta del Dinero K, had to carry out three tests to solve various technical problems until he could guarantee that the trial would be carried out properly. on-line.
The trial will be carried out semi-presentially, this methodology of a trial that will combine the judges in the courtroom in Comodoro Py, with other people who will be remotely. The TOF 2 explained that only the judges will be present in the room, "the actuary and the person who is summoned to give a testimonial statement, and all the parties and other habitual participants in the debate will do so through the videoconference that the Judicial Council will provide for these purposes. "
With the resumption of the oral debate, the testimonial statements will continue. It will be the turn then, of Javier Iguacel, former head of the National Directorate of Roads (DNV) complainant in this case. It was he who presented an audit that showed that more than 78% of the contracts directed to the province of Santa Cruz, were awarded to the Austral Group, and that said awards "were plagued by irregularities, that there was management, overpricing of 65% and the half of the works were not completed. "
The case of the alleged targeting of the 51 tenders in favor of Lázaro Báez was positioned -after a judicial resolution-, in the preceding crime of other money laundering operations involving Lázaro Báez (Route of money K), and the Kirchner family (Los Sauces and Hotesur). In this trial, the Government integrates the complaint through the Anti-Corruption Office (OA).