Businessmen Testify to Bribery Demands by Kirchner Financier in Notebooks Trial
2 sources · Argentina
Who reported this
- Infobae
- La Nacion
What the colours mean
- Left
- Centre-left
- Centre
- Centre-right
- Right
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Multiple businessmen testified before Federal Oral Court 7 that Ernesto Clarens, a financier for the Kirchner government, demanded bribes in exchange for facilitating public works contracts and payments. Jorge Cibraro, of the firm ICF, stated that he met with Clarens at offices in Buenos Aires where the financier suggested that specific contributions could help reduce payment delays. Cibraro noted that he did not receive special treatment because he refused to pay. Another witness, Juan Manuel Saavedra Vertiz of Costrumex, testified that Clarens requested a 10 percent bribe of the total amount of a project, claiming there was a government policy to collect funds for the cause. Saavedra Vertiz described Clarens as the man who collected for the government. Additionally, Saavedra Vertiz mentioned that Sergio Pasacantando, a former manager of National Roadways, showed him a list of companies that had priority for payments, which included Austral Construcciones, Rovella, and Carranza. The trial is currently reviewing public works projects and alleged kickbacks involving national route tolls.
How each side framed it
- Centre-right
- Both sources framed the event as a confirmation of systemic corruption and bribery within the Kirchner administration.
Sources
- Centre-right Infobae: Notebooks Trial: Clarens said that he “collected for the cause” and asked him for a 10 percent bribe, a businessman testified
- Centre-right La Nacion: Notebooks of bribes: another businessman assured in the trial that the Kirchners' financier demanded money to unblock public works payments
100% of the statements in this article were traced back to the source articles listed above.