The session—which lasted four hours—began with the reading of the indictment, where the prosecutors argued that Néstor and Cristina Kirchner were leaders of a criminal organization that collected bribes from state contractors between 2003 and 2015.
The court, presided over by Méndez Signori and composed of judges Fernando Canero and Germán Castelli, faces an unprecedented process: 87 defendants, 626 witnesses, and more than 678 pages of accusations. Among the accused are former officials such as De Vido, Roberto Baratta, and José López, as well as businessmen like Ángelo Calcaterra, Aldo Roggio, Enrique Pescarmona, and Gerardo Ferreyra.
Hours before the hearing, Cristina had described the trial as a "judicial bore" and a "show to distract attention." However, from the Financial Information Unit, its head Paul Starc replied forcefully: "I've been a prosecutor for more than 30 years and I've never seen so much evidence."
The proceedings will continue next week with the remaining reading of the 678 pages of the main indictment. The contrast between the former president's discomfort and the firmness of the court exposed, from the very first hearing, the historic weight of the largest corruption case in modern Argentina.
