The trial for the Notebooks of Bribes has begun: Cristina Kirchner faces accusations of more than 10 million dollars
The longest judicial process in Argentine history begins with 87 defendants and could last three years
Buenos Aires, November 7, 2025 — This Thursday began the largest oral trial in the history of Argentine corruption: the case of the Cuadernos de las Coimas. The process began after 10 a.m. with former President Cristina Kirchner as the main defendant, along with 86 other defendants. The hearing was held by Zoom because there is no courtroom in the country large enough to host this process.
A system of corruption that operated for 12 years
The indictment alleges that between 2003 and 2015 an illicit association dedicated to the collection of bribes operated, made up of figures such as Cristina Fernández de Kirchner, Julio De Vido, Roberto Baratta, Ricardo Jaime, Juan Pablo Schiavi, financier Ernesto Clarens and remisero Oscar Centeno.
The origin of the case dates back to the handwritten notes of Centeno, a driver for the Ministry of Planning, who for years recorded in eight notebooks the trips where he transported officials to collect bribes in companies and take them to destinations such as the Quinta de Olivos and the former president's Recoleta apartment.
The figures of the mega-case
In this first stage of the trial, 40 acts of passive bribery were read totaling more than 10.4 million dollars. However, the process covers 304 of the 540 acts of corruption in the "Notebooks" universe, so the figures could multiply substantially.
The defendants include:
The mechanisms of corruption
In the mechanism under investigation, there are direct payments recorded in Oscar Centeno's notebooks from businessmen to officials and other outsourced through payments received by the financier Ernesto Clarens and the then president of the Argentine Chamber of Construction, Carlos Wagner.
The repentant financier Ernesto Clarens described that the prices of public works were artificially inflated by 20%: that percentage was made up of 10% for bribes and the remaining 10% to generate black money. According to José López, since 2011 the percentages required for the award of works have been reduced to 3%.
The accusations against Cristina Kirchner
The former president is accused of being the head of an illicit association, co-author of 204 passive bribes and a necessary participant in passive bribery. Cristina Kirchner is accused of having been the final beneficiary of at least 38 bribe payments for 17 million dollars.
The indictment alleges that these payments came from businessmen seeking to maintain their public works contracts. During the first day of the trial, the former president participated from her home at 1111 San José, where she is serving a sentence for the Vialidad case, together with her lawyer Carlos Beraldi.
The court and the development of the process
Judges Enrique Méndez Signori, Fernando Canero and Germán Castelli head the court, while Attorney General Fabiana León is in charge of the prosecution.
During the first month of the process, the requirements for elevation to trial will be read, which means presentations and accusations. Then will come the inquiries of the accused.
The trial began with one hearing per week, on Thursdays, but will change pace in March, when two weekly debates will be held. Even so, the process could take three years or more.
The Repentant and the Trials
In the case there are 24 accused collaborators who confirmed the illicit maneuvers, including former officials such as Claudio Uberti, José López and the driver Oscar Centeno, along with renowned businessmen such as Calcaterra, Pescarmona and Roggio.
In 2025, the original notebooks appeared and the expert report confirming that Centeno was indeed the author of those manuscripts was incorporated as evidence. However, in August 2025, an expert report carried out by the Gendarmerie and the Federal Police found that, although the primary writing corresponded to Centeno, more than 1,500 corrections, deletions and adulterations were detected in the notebooks that did not correspond to the driver.
Attempts to avoid judgment
On October 6, 2025, the Federal Oral Court No. 7 rejected the economic offers presented by more than fifty businessmen and former officials, considering that it was not appropriate to apply the figure of "comprehensive reparation" to extinguish the criminal action.
Among the outstanding offers: Ángelo Calcaterra's defense offered more than $2.4 billion to close the case against him, while Benito Roggio proposed another $1.8 billion.
A historic trial in times of Zoom
87 defendants and their defense attorneys met via Zoom for the longest trial in the history of Argentine corruption, with a hearing broadcast on the YouTube channel of the Supreme Court.
The hearing began almost an hour late due to delays by the defendants. During the broadcast, four court clerks took turns reading the first of a series of indictments that will take until the beginning of the summer judicial recess.
The reading of the accusation began with the statement of LA NACION journalist Diego Cabot, who narrated how he received the notebooks of the bribes from Jorge Bacigalupo, a former policeman friend of Centeno who, without notifying him, delivered the documents to the press.
The political context
Cristina Kirchner described the process as "another judicial show" on her social networks before the start of the trial, arguing that it is a distraction while "the future of work and retirements is discussed."
The libertarian government decided not to comment on the trial, and it is expected to be an extensive process that may take about three years to begin to glimpse the stage of the convictions.
The case of the Cuadernos de las Coimas represents a turning point in Argentine judicial history, not only because of the magnitude of the accusations, but also because it brings together for the first time in the same process the most powerful officials of the last decade with the main businessmen who managed the country's public works.
Brazil on the brink: 130 dead in police operation spark political crisis months before elections
The situation in Brazil has become critical following a massive police operation in Rio de Janeiro's favelas, where more than 2,500 officers confronted the Red Command, the country's largest criminal organization. The result was one of the bloodiest days in the city's recent history, with more than 130 dead.
🔥 Keys to the conflict
🗳️ Impact on the presidential campaign
🌍 Broader context
🧓 Retirement without retirement: 17% of older adults in Argentina continue to work, and the figure is growing
The loss of the purchasing power of pension funds and the need to cover basic expenses push thousands of retirees to remain active. Experts warn about the physical, emotional and social impact of this growing trend.
Buenos Aires — In Argentina, retiring is no longer equivalent to retiring from the labor market. An increasingly widespread phenomenon reveals that approximately 17% of older adults continue to work despite being of retirement age. The figure, which is constantly increasing, reflects the economic tensions that the country is going through and highlights the limitations of the pension system.
According to official data and surveys by specialized organizations, about 1.2 million people over 65 years of age remain economically active, either in formal jobs, informal jobs or their own ventures. This reality contrasts with the traditional image of the retiree who enjoys his rest after decades of contributions.
💼 More obligation than choice
"In most cases, it is not a choice linked to the desire to stay active or socialize, but an imperative economic need," explains sociologist María Elena Rodríguez, a specialist in the elderly. "Retirement benefits have lost much of their purchasing power, and many older adults are forced to continue working to cover essential expenses such as medicines, food and services."
The situation is especially critical for those who receive the minimum pension, which represents only a fraction of the minimum living and mobile wage. With health expenses that increase with age and constantly rising rates, the pension is insufficient to sustain a dignified life.
🧰 Sectors and work modalities
The older adults who continue to work are mainly concentrated in the service sector, commerce and independent activities. Many work as caregivers, shop employees, cleaning staff, taxi drivers or in various trades. There are also professionals who continue to practice autonomously or provide advice in their areas of specialization.
Roberto Fernández, 68, is one of them. Retired three years ago as an administrative employee, today he works as an application driver. "What I receive from retirement is not even enough for medicines and basic expenses," she says. "I work six hours a day, Monday through Friday. It's not what I dreamed of for this stage of my life, but it's what I have to do."
⚠️ Health and quality of life at risk
Gerontology specialists warn about the physical and emotional consequences that this situation generates. "The body no longer has the same resistance, and many jobs involve physical effort or long days on their feet," says Dr. Javier Martínez, a geriatrician at the Italian Hospital. "We frequently see symptoms of exhaustion, stress and aggravation of pre-existing pathologies."
In addition, the need to work limits access to recreational activities, regular medical check-ups and the necessary rest time. "A vicious circle is generated: they work to pay for medicines, but the work itself deteriorates their health," Martínez adds.
🌎 A regional trend
The phenomenon is not exclusive to Argentina. In several Latin American countries, population aging combined with insufficient pension systems is generating similar situations. However, Argentina has its own particularities, such as persistent inflation and successive economic crises that eroded the real value of retirement benefits.
According to the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC), poverty among older adults is on the rise in the region, and the need to supplement pension income is one of the main causes of permanence in the workforce at an advanced age.
📣 Claims and proposals
Retirees' organizations have been demanding for years improvements in pension benefits and retirement mobility that recovers lost purchasing power. "We are not asking for privileges, we are asking for what we are entitled to after 30 or 40 years of contributions," says Graciela López, a leader of a group of retirees from the Buenos Aires suburbs.
From the academic field and social organizations, alternatives are proposed: updating of salaries above inflation, protected employment programs for the elderly, subsidies for medicines and expansion of health coverage.
📊 An expanding demographic challenge
With a progressively aging population – it is estimated that by 2050 more than 20% of Argentines will be over 65 years old – the sustainability of the pension system and the quality of life of older adults are emerging as one of the main social challenges of the coming decades.
"It is not just an economic problem or isolated public policies," concludes Rodríguez. "It is a question of the model of society: what place do we want our older adults to occupy and how do we guarantee that they can live with dignity after a life of work."
Meanwhile, thousands of Argentine retirees continue to get up every morning, not to enjoy their retirement, but to earn the livelihood that their retirement no longer guarantees.
World Bank accelerates US$4 billion disbursements for Argentina: international support for government reforms
In a gesture that reinforces international support for the Argentine government's economic policy, the World Bank announced that it will accelerate the disbursement of US$4 billion as part of a previously agreed financing package of US$12 billion. The measure was celebrated by the Minister of Economy, Luis Caputo, who described it as a sign of "strong confidence in the government's efforts to modernize the economy, attract private investment and generate employment."
📌 It is not a question of new funds, but of a streamlining of the calendar
According to the official statement of the multilateral organization, the decision does not imply new resources, but an acceleration in the approval process of operations already planned. This will allow the funds to arrive in a shorter timeframe, although still subject to approval by the World Bank's Board of Executive Directors.
Sources close to the negotiation indicated that the full package will be implemented in the next three years, but that the US$4,000 million could be available "in a few months". The government did not specify how the original disbursement times will be modified.
🛠️ Strategic sectors: mining, tourism, energy and SMEs
The World Bank explained that the funds will be allocated to four key areas for Argentine competitiveness:
In addition, part of the package is expected to include investments in critical infrastructure, education, tax modernization and job skills development.
🤝 Political context and international support
The announcement came hours after the bilateral meeting between President Javier Milei and his U.S. counterpart Donald Trump, within the framework of the UN General Assembly. Trump expressed his "full and total support" for Milei's re-election, strengthening the bilateral relationship.
A positive message was also added from U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, who praised Argentina's economic strategy through a thread on the social network X.
💬 Official reactions
In his social media post, Caputo thanked World Bank President Ajay Banga and stressed that "all proposed operations are subject to the approval of the Executive Board." The minister stressed that the financial support "not only provides resources, but also confidence in the economic strategy we are carrying out."
🔍 What does this acceleration imply?
The measure represents an explicit endorsement of the structural reforms promoted by the government, in a context of high economic volatility and the need for foreign currency. Although the funds still have to go through bureaucratic processes, the World Bank's gesture is interpreted as a sign of alignment with the official agenda.
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