Francisco Hauque, a lender to Elías Piccirillo, alleged that former Argentine President Alberto Fernández used financial maneuvers involving the “dólar blue” and SIRAs as a personal slush fund, according to local media reports.
The Allegations Against Alberto Fernández
Hauque claims that the financial operations conducted through Piccirillo were linked to the former president’s private interests. During his statements, Hauque characterized these maneuvers as a source of illicit income for the former leader.
“Era una de las cajas que él tenía”
Francisco Hauque
The term “caja” typically refers to a slush fund or an unofficial source of funding used for political or personal expenses. Hauque’s testimony suggests that these funds were managed through specific currency and import mechanisms to avoid standard oversight.
The Role of SIRAs and the Dólar Blue
The allegations center on two specific financial tools used in Argentina: the SIRA (Import System of the Argentine Republic) and the “dólar blue.”
The SIRA is the government system used to authorize imports and access official foreign exchange. The “dólar blue” refers to the unofficial, parallel market where U.S. dollars are traded at a rate higher than the official government peg. According to local media reports, Hauque pointed to maneuvers involving these two systems as the primary method for moving the funds allegedly tied to Fernández.
