Notebooks Case: Cristina tried to hide from the cameras and the judge scolded her live

At the first hearing of the "Cuadernos" mega-trial, Cristina Kirchner once again fell short before the court. From her apartment at San José 1111, where she is under house arrest, she tried to participate via Zoom without turning on her camera. However, Judge Enrique Méndez Signori noticed the maneuver and ordered her to show herself.

The episode occurred when the magistrate noticed that not all the defendants were visible in the judicial Zoom. "Not all the defendants appear on camera. It is the court's duty to ensure that this reading takes place in their presence, in order to safeguard the right to defense," he stated firmly.

Minutes later, Cristina Kirchner reappeared in the video call alongside her lawyer, Carlos Beraldi, visibly uncomfortable with the court's order. The moment caused murmurs among those present and was interpreted as a new attempt by the former president to avoid public exposure.

The scene contrasted with the attitude of other defendants, such as former minister Julio De Vido, who was seen eating in front of the camera during the hearing as if it were a virtual picnic. His behavior, far from the respect required by a judicial process of this magnitude, was taken as yet another display of the old practices of arrogance and impunity with which Kirchnerism tries to confront the justice system.

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.