Diego Luciani after CFK's conviction: "Cristina Kirchner named me, and five years later I was judging her."

Prosecutor Diego Luciani spoke publicly after the Supreme Court's ruling upheldCristina Kirchner 's conviction in the Highways case . "CFK appointed me. Five years later, I was judging her. How paradoxical, isn't it?" he said. He maintained that his role was to defend "the interests of society," regardless of the defendant's "political affiliation." He praised the work of the judiciary and emphasized that its work was based solely on facts and evidence .

Luciani explained that crimes involving state corruption are complex because they are often hidden. "Usually, acts to seize state assets are concealed behind seemingly legal formulas," he noted. He mentioned the existence of "simulated public bidding processes," as occurred with the 51 projects awarded to Lázaro Báez in Santa Cruz.

For the prosecutor, the dismantling of internal controls plays a key role in these schemes. He spoke of "organizations parasitized by politics" and criticized those within the judicial system itself who prefer to "camouflage themselves with power" rather than investigate it.

In another section of his presentation, Diego Luciani emphasized the institutional significance of the ruling. "This is the first time that a former president has been definitively convicted by the Supreme Court. It's never happened before," he said. He recalled the case of Carlos Menem , who died without the highest court ruling on his case.

He also noted that, in recent history, corruption in Argentina has rarely been sentenced to a final verdict. "We have a formidable history of corruption. But there are few cases that have been sentenced to a final verdict," he admitted.

Diego Luciani referred to the pressure he received during the trial. He asserted that many prosecutors face the same scenario when they move against politically influential figures. "There are judges and prosecutors who want to take action, but there are also many who prefer to play politics," he warned.

“When Cristina Kirchner was president, she had power, and when she left, she did too. That's why it's crucial that the judiciary act without looking the other way,” he concluded. For Luciani, the underlying challenge is for the judicial system to remain firm in the face of the attacks of power.