Overview
- Ernesto Clarens said his principal role was converting pesos collected from contractors into dollars through the informal market using a broker called Vallarino and, at times, the Banco Finansur desk, with occasional requests for €500 notes.
- He described weekly collections of roughly U$S300,000 representing about 10% of Vialidad payments, and estimated he handled around U$S30 million in total.
- Clarens testified that he coordinated cash deliveries with Daniel Muñoz, meeting at the Hotel Panamericano or at the Kirchners’ Juncal and Uruguay residence for larger sums, noting he never entered the apartment.
- He recounted being told by Muñoz that cash was stored in metal filing cabinets inside a vault at the Kirchners’ El Calafate home and flown on Fridays on official aircraft from Aeroparque to Patagonia.
- He attributed to Cristina Kirchner orders to steer a Ruta 40 segment to Cristóbal López and to support the firm GOTTI, and said José López prepared Vialidad payment lists with her awareness of who was paid first.