Argentine court weighs unifying Hotesur and Los Sauces trials

The Federal Chamber of Criminal Cassation is holding a key hearing to decide whether the Hotesur and Los Sauces judicial proceedings should be unified or remain separate. The cases involve former President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner, her son Máximo Kirchner, and businessman Lázaro Báez, among others, regarding allegations of money laundering and illicit associations.

The Federal Oral Tribunal No. 5 previously decided to split the trials, scheduling Los Sauces for October 2026 and Hotesur for March 2027. Prosecutors have appealed this decision, arguing that separating the cases fragments the evidence and weakens the ability to prove a single, continuous illicit association. They contend that dividing the proceedings risks losing the overall view of the alleged money laundering scheme.

In contrast, defense attorneys for Cristina Kirchner have requested that the Chamber reject the unification. They argue that merging the debates could cause delays and infringe upon defense guarantees. The defense also noted that if the cases are linked to the same illicit association, previous rulings in the Vialidad case, where the defendants were acquitted, should be considered.