18/06/2026 09:21 - Actualidad
Sala de tribunal con jueces en el estrado, fiscales y defensores en sus posiciones, ambiente judicial serio y profesional, luz natural, mobiliario de madera oscura
The first hearings in the trial for the disappearance of Loan Danilo Peña not only advanced procedurally. They also revealed, through minimal gestures and revealing attitudes, how each of the accused faces the judicial process that could determine their destiny.
The trial is taking place at Squadron No. 48 of the National Gendarmerie in Corrientes, a northeastern Argentine province bordering Paraguay. The tribunal is composed of judges Fermín Ceroleni, Eduardo Belforte, and Simón Pedro Bracco. The prosecution is led by Carlos Schaefer and Tamara Pourcel. The oral proceedings extended beyond what was planned due to unforeseen situations.
The National Gendarmerie is one of Argentina's federal security forces, primarily responsible for border security and internal order. Their facilities are often used for high-profile trials requiring enhanced security measures.
The former police commissioner, accused of being a secondary participant, remained concentrated during much of the first hearing. Without handcuffs and looking down, he constantly wrote in a green-cover Gloria notebook, oblivious to what was happening around him.
The aunt of Loan, one of the central figures in the case, faces the trial with a deteriorated health condition. According to her lawyer Mónica Chirivín, she has been suffering episodes of high blood pressure since the Sunday before the hearings began.
During one of the recesses, lawyer Rodolfo Baqué approached to give her candies and something to eat.
Carlos Pérez and María Victoria Caillava maintained a deliberately distant attitude from Laudelina Peña. On several occasions they turned their backs on her, avoiding eye contact or interaction, revealing the fracture between those the prosecution accuses of having acted together.
Ramírez showed a defiant look during several segments, speaking in low voice with his lawyers Marcelo Hanson and Jorge Monti. Benítez, on the other hand, showed a change in attitude: from head down and withdrawn on the first day, he appeared more upright and attentive on the second.
At the end of one of the judicial sessions, the bus transporting the detainees had an accident when it hit a tree while leaving the Gendarmerie compound. The vehicle suffered a broken right side-view mirror, but no injuries were reported.
Esteban Federico Rossi Colombo, accused of false testimony, obstruction of investigation, and title usurpation, did not appear at the first hearing. He was declared in contempt (rebeldía) and his detention was ordered.
Hours later he reappeared connected via Zoom from Gendarmerie Tucumán (a northwestern province) with a new public defender: Juliana Machado, to whom the tribunal granted 72 hours to get up to speed on the case.
The woman who accompanied Loan to the orange grove (where he was last seen) connects via video call from Neuquén, a Patagonian province in southern Argentina, where she serves house arrest with an electronic ankle monitor. Her participation was not without technical problems: the connection failed and the tribunal had to call her attention on several occasions.
The tribunal decided to suspend the planned Thursday hearing to allow Rossi Colombo's defense to prepare adequately. The trial will resume on Wednesday, June 24 at 9 in the morning.
Lawyer Rodolfo Baqué had verbal confrontations with prosecutors. During the second session, he questioned Schaefer's capabilities and went as far as saying 'I don't know who this lady speaking to me is' to prosecutor Pourcel, minimizing her role in the case.
Both situations could lead to actions for ethical misconduct and even complaints for gender violence.
| Disappearance date: | June 13, 2024 |
| Location: | Algarrobal, Corrientes |
| Defendants: | 17 |
| Witnesses: | More than 170 |
| Estimated duration: | More than 4 months |
Alfredo S. Quiroga
