Leonardo Fariña said on Tuesday that jailed businessman Lázaro Báez was a “trusted custodian” of former president Néstor Kirchner, during testimony before Federal Oral Court No. 7 in the long-running ‘Cuadernos’ corruption trial.
Fariña, a key prosecution witness who previously turned state's evidence in the so-called 'K Money Route' money-laundering investigation, has long alleged that Báez acted on behalf of the Kirchner family's business interests.
Fariña’s appearance was among the most closely watched testimonies in the latest stage of the proceedings. During his testimony, he described what he alleged was a cartel-like system for awarding public works contracts.
Argentina’s Cámara Argentina de la Construcción “brought companies together and they decided among themselves who would win a contract and who would not; who would get the next one and who would not; and who would be allowed in and who would not. Lázaro, for example, was excluded from that,” Fariña told the court.
Fariña further claimed that Báez's company, Austral Construcciones, benefited from unusually rapid payment of work certificates, saying it was paid “very quickly” compared with the State's normal payment schedules.
Fariña alleged that in several cases contractors were paid for roadworks that had not been completed.
The ‘Cuadernos’ case centres on allegations that businessmen paid millions of dollars in bribes to government officials in exchange for public works contracts during the administrations of ex-presidents Néstor Kirchner (2003-2007) and Cristina Fernández de Kirchner (2007-2015).
The investigation was triggered by the discovery notebooks kept by former Federal Planning Ministry chauffeur Oscar Centeno, which allegedly detail the collection and delivery of cash payments.
Among those facing trial is former president Fernández de Kirchner, who has denied wrongdoing, along with a number of former officials and business figures.
According to prosecutors, business figures made illegal payments to state officials during the Kirchernite governments in order to win multi-billion-peso contracts for infrastructure projects.
Fernández de Kirchner denies the allegations against her and claims they are part of an organised plot of “judicial and political persecution” designed to soil her reputation and place her behind bars.
Also called to testify on Tuesday were former economy minister Roberto Lavagna and former lawmaker Mariana Zuvic. The proceedings remain in the witness-testimony stage, with dozens of witnesses still scheduled to appear before the court.
– TIMES/NA/PERFIL
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