In the Cuadernos trial, López stated that he obeyed orders out of fear of reprisals from the former president
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During a new hearing in the Cuadernos case trial, the web of corruption that operated during the Kirchner administrations was once again exposed. In the reading of the charges, José López's confession as a cooperating defendant was reviewed, where he explained why he avoided providing key details for years: he said he acted out of fear of Cristina Kirchner, whom he described as a "very vindictive" person.
López used this statement to justify his initial silence regarding the bags with nearly USD 9 million that he tried to hide in June 2016 at the convent in General Rodríguez. According to his statement, he was convinced that the money belonged to the former president and that the orders he received, through Fabián Gutiérrez, came directly from her.
José López fue capturando ocultando USD 9 millones y armas en un convento.
The testimony was given in the context of the trial investigating the cartelization of public road works, a scheme that, according to the accusation, operated for years with the participation of officials and businessmen. López detailed that a group of companies previously agreed on who would get each project, sent the list to the National Highway Administration, and there the "values were adjusted," incorporating the bribes. The illegal kickbacks ranged from 3% to 20% of the contract amount, depending on the type of project and the financial advances.
The former Secretary of Public Works explained that it was Fabián Gutiérrez, a man of utmost trust for Néstor and Cristina Kirchner, who contacted him days before the convent episode. He indicated that he had to move a significant sum of money and, shortly after, three people delivered the bags to him. López recounted that he was nervous, that he was ordered to get rid of his phones, and that, finally, he loaded the money and headed to the convent, in an episode that would later become public.
When delving into the reasons for his fear, López maintained that he was not afraid of Gutiérrez, but of the power he represented. He pointed out that he had known for years the way Cristina Kirchner operated and that he feared for his life and that of his family if he disobeyed. In that context, he stated that he took for granted that the money belonged to the former president and that is why he followed the instructions he received.
Cristina Fernández de Kirchner.
The confession also included references to previous deliveries of money, even in Cristina Kirchner's apartment, and to the operation of the fundraising system during election campaigns. According to López, the scheme continued until Néstor Kirchner's death and was later resumed by order of Julio De Vido for the 2011 campaign.
The testimony once again places Cristina Kirchner at the center of the Cuadernos case, not only as a beneficiary of the system, but as the figure whose authority and fear allowed one of the largest corruption schemes in Argentine history to be sustained for years.
