Attack on José Luis Espert, a plot that mixes radicalized K militancy, state resources, and corruption

The judicial investigation into a violent incident that erupted after Cristina Kirchner's prison sentence is beginning to unravel a plot that combines radicalized K-19 militancy, the use of state resources for illegal purposes, irregularities with public works contractors , and the emergence of highly-regarded lawyers with political clout.

This case, the "escrache" threatening the home of Congressman José Luis Espert, epitomizes these variables and also focuses on possible instructions to organize riots driven by the leadership of the La Cámpora group . The case file is burning hot: it has just been placed under "summary secrecy," a method used in judicial investigations when high-impact measures are anticipated, the anticipation of which could thwart them. Everything revolves around an event that, given its general nature, national political lore might downplay or consider a "minor" incident.

However, the analysis of what happened and the actions of its protagonists changes radically when considering the possible application of serious articles of the Penal Code.

On Tuesday, July 17, the same day that Cristina Kirchner's house arrest for corruption offenses was officially declared, a group of hooded individuals broke into the front of the private home of Congressman José Luis Espert, one of the most critical libertarian members of the Kirchner family. The attack, which was costly and strikingly organized, consisted of the following: just after 7:00 p.m., a group of hooded and gloved individuals got out of a van near the legislator's home. Other individuals monitored the area from a car while the rest of the perpetrators carried out what was initially classified as "threats."

The hooded men unloaded six garbage bags filled with horse manure from the truck and scattered them around the front of the house. They also left behind a professionally printed poster, almost perfectly sized to cover the perimeter of the house, with a phrase alluding to the manure and the economist: "Espert's shit lives here."

The congressman reported the incident. The case was filed in the San Isidro federal court, presided over by Judge Sandra Arroyo Salgado. With the help of the Federal Police, the judge was able to identify the two vehicles used by the hooded men: a Chevrolet S10 pickup truck and a Renault Clío . The case thus began to take on another dimension.

The Renault Clío belongs to an official from the Ministry of Women and Diversity of the Buenos Aires Governor's Office: Alexia Abaigar, who heads the agency's Awareness and Rights Department. She was detained. The court has reportedly proven that she was at the scene of the events being investigated as serious crimes against public order and intimidation, and possibly other offenses, as will be seen. In addition, Abaigar's ex-partner and her mother were arrested. They were authorized to drive the Clío, although it has already been proven that they did not participate in the threats against Espert.

Last Friday, the congressman and his wife, who have been accepted as plaintiffs in the case, requested that Abaigar's release be denied. The prosecutor also requested the same.

Who had requested the release of the head of the Ministry of Women's Awareness in Buenos Aires?

Her lawyer is Daniel Llermanos, a former federal judge and highly regarded criminal lawyer with ties to the Moyano family, although also aligned with Kirchnerist interests following the former president's arrest. Llermanos filed an injunction to allow Cristina Kirchner to run for office despite the Supreme Court's upholding of her prison sentence and perpetual ban from holding public office.

How did renowned lawyer Llermanos come to defend Abaigar?

In addition to being a Buenos Aires official, Abaigar is a member of La Cámpora, Máximo Kirchner's political group, whose leader is Quilmes Mayor Mayra Mendoza . The investigation into the Chevrolet S10 pickup truck from which the hooded men got out led to that municipality.

The incident was filmed by cameras belonging to neighbors and residents of the same block of San Isidro. Last Thursday, the court seized the van, which was parked in a garage reserved for Quilmes Municipal officials.

Who owns the truck?

The company Centro Construcciones, a public works contractor for Quilmes and also for the Governor's Office, also raided the Arroyo Salgado office. According to sources familiar with the case, it is proven that the vehicle was provided by the company to the municipality of Quilmes when it won the public tender to renovate the Southeast Access Road in 2021. The documents specified that Centro Construcciones would deliver the vehicle to the municipality so its officials could inspect the progress of the road project, awarded with an initial budget of 926 million pesos. According to Quilmes councilwoman Estefanía Albasetti, of La Libertad Avanza, despite having received the contract, Centro Construcciones SA never completed the work to improve the Southeast Access Road. Four years have passed.

What did Mayra Mendoza say about the discovery of the truck that was under her control to inspect a public works project and was used to intimidate Espert?

The courts are now working secretly on the case, and there could be more developments in a judicial investigation that, shortly after its inception, shows that the Kirchnerist politician is deeply involved in various violent incidents that followed Cristina's final conviction. The list is long, and all the incidents were reported by the media. No arrests were made in any case, except in the case involving the threat against Espert. This did not even occur with former officials identified in the vandalism attack on the Artear and TN offices, which are also part of La Cámpora.

The questions intrigue those affected by these events and the Justice:

Did the attack on Espert's house take place after its perpetrators had conducted prior intelligence gathering on the scene?

Could the mayor of Quilmes have been unaware that one of the officials authorized to drive the S10 would use the vehicle to threaten the private residence of a national representative? If she was unaware, she's already aware of it: Did she take any action?

Among other items seized in the raids, the Justice Department is analyzing the contents of the cell phones of people who participated in the incident or are involved in this plot . The crimes that could be charged to those identified as the perpetrators of the threats against Espert would already exceed those classified in the Penal Code as crimes against public order. The use of the truck owned by a state contractor would add potential corruption offenses.

Abaigar's lawyer, Dr. Llermanos, wrote on his X account that he had appealed for his "client's" release, claiming she had reacted to Espert's statements about Cristina and her daughter, Florencia. The criminal lawyer believes Abaigar committed an act that can only be punished as a municipal violation.

Yesterday, the ATE trade union announced that it would campaign for the detainee's freedom: "Imprisoned for being a woman and a Peronist," is the slogan.

Radicalized militancy, a mixture of funds and assets intended for public works but used for violent political purposes, highly organized intimidation, and complete alignment with the interests of Cristina Kirchner, who is being held under house arrest at San José 1111. This is the very building that the Quilmes officials who used S10 to attack Espert's house would have visited the day before that incident.

Is there footage showing that truck there?

The legal case has just begun.