Politics · Other · 3 hrs ago
Argentina court orders two Kirchner family corruption cases combined
Argentina’s Federal Criminal Cassation Court has ordered two corruption cases to be heard together in one trial, starting Friday, October 23.
The cases concern Hotesur and Los Sauces, hotel chains in Patagonia owned by the family of former president Cristina Fernández de Kirchner.
Prosecutors allege the hotels were used to channel kickbacks linked to public works contracts awarded to businessman Lázaro Báez, who allegedly paid bills for rooms that were never occupied.
Twenty-five defendants are due to face trial, including Máximo Kirchner, Cristina Kirchner’s son; her daughter Florencia was excluded because the court found she lacked decision-making authority in the companies.
The court overturned an earlier decision to hold separate trials, saying the connection between the cases justified hearing them together and that logistical difficulties could be managed in other ways.
The combined trial is scheduled to begin Friday, after the Supreme Court had previously upheld the decision to proceed with a trial.
Argentina’s Federal Criminal Cassation Court ordered the Hotesur and Los Sauces corruption cases to be heard in a single trial.
The trial is scheduled to begin on Friday, October 23, overturning a decision to hold separate proceedings.
The cases concern allegations of money-laundering, illicit association and corruption linked to two hotels in Patagonia owned by the family of former president Cristina Fernández de Kirchner.
Prosecutors allege the hotels were used to channel kickbacks linked to public works contracts awarded to businessman Lázaro Báez.
A total of 25 defendants are involved, including Máximo Kirchner, while Florencia Kirchner was excluded from the trial.
- Who
- Argentina’s Federal Criminal Cassation Court ordered the cases combined. The defendants include Máximo Kirchner and a total of 25 people.
- What
- The Hotesur and Los Sauces corruption cases will be heard in a single trial.
- When
- The trial is scheduled to start on Friday, October 23.
- Where
- The cases concern hotel chains in Patagonia, southern Argentina.
- Why
- The court overturned a decision to hold separate trials, finding that the split had not been adequately justified.
Federal Criminal Cassation Court majority
Judge Alejandro Slokar
Basis for separate proceedings
Federal Criminal Cassation Court majority
The majority said the connection between the cases and rules on multiple offences supported a joint trial; organisational difficulties were not sufficient grounds to split it.
Judge Alejandro Slokar
Slokar argued the appeals should be declared inadmissible because trial arrangements generally fall within the trial court’s remit.
Judges Daniel Obligado and Adrián Grümberg dismissed the charges.
The Federal Criminal Appeals Court overturned the decision and ordered a trial.
Argentina’s Supreme Court upheld the ruling ordering a trial.
The Los Sauces trial was scheduled for October 23, while the Hotesur trial was set for March 19, 2027.
The Federal Criminal Cassation Court ordered the two cases heard together.
The combined trial is scheduled to begin.
- Cases
- Hotesur and Los Sauces
- Defendants
- 25
- Trial start
- October 23, 2026
- Previously scheduled Hotesur trial
- March 19, 2027
- Majority judges
- Daniel Antonio Petrone and Diego G. Barroetaveña
- Dissenting judge
- Alejandro Slokar