Argentina Court Again Rejects Prosecutor's Bid to Set Trial Date in Cristina Kirchner Case

In a move that further delays the judicial process, Argentina's Oral Federal Court 5 has once again denied a request from prosecutor Diego Velasco to set a trial date for the Hotesur and Los Sauces case. This case, which involves alleged money laundering by former President Cristina Kirchner and her son Máximo, has been awaiting a trial start for five years.

The court's decision hinges on the ongoing accounting expert examination, which they argue must be concluded before any trial can commence. Judges José Michilini, Adriana Palliotti, and Fernando Machado Pelloni believe that initiating the trial without this crucial evidence could jeopardize its validity and open the door to numerous defense challenges. This stance directly contrasts with Prosecutor Velasco's argument that a date could be set and potentially postponed if the examination concludes later.

Frustrated by the repeated delays, Prosecutor Velasco intends to escalate the matter to the Federal Cassation Chamber, seeking their intervention to compel the trial's commencement. Meanwhile, the court has scheduled a preliminary hearing for September 4. While this hearing aims to streamline trial organization, reduce witness lists, and expedite proceedings, it ultimately pushes the potential start of the trial closer to the year's end and the summer judicial recess, leaving many questioning the pace of justice in this high-profile case.