Admission in court
María Soledad Calle, a militant of La Cámpora and former employee of the metallurgical union UOM, acknowledged on Tuesday in federal court that she bought the apartment on the first floor of San José 1111, the building where former president Cristina Fernández de Kirchner is serving house arrest. In a clarifying document presented before Judge Julián Ercolini, she explained that the purchase was made with her own funds and that the property was intended to house a foundation for studies on Argentine development.[S1][S2]
The acquisition was completed on August 20, 2025, for about USD 189,000, according to records. Her defense, led by lawyer Pablo Slonimsqui, argued that the transaction occurred before the creation of USEM S.A. and the signing of the service contract with the UOM, which took place on February 27, 2023. This aims to separate that part of her assets from funds derived from the agreement between the union and the company.[S1][S2]
The investigation into union funds
Judge Ercolini is investigating whether the contract between the UOM and USEM S.A. harmed the union, its health insurance OSUOMRA, and its members by transferring financial control and administration of worker contributions to USEM, which received a 0.5% commission. This would amount to about 100 million pesos, according to a complaint filed by a dissident sector of the union led by Ángel Derosso. Abel Furlán, former head of the union, also requested his dismissal in the case.[S1][S2]
The defenses argue that there was no transfer of control but only bank management, and that the service was effectively provided with decisions made by the union's internal bodies. Calle is singled out for simultaneously being a UOM employee and a director of USEM, which her defense denies as self-contracting. The investigation also lifted fiscal secrecy for Calle and Furlán and requested information from various state agencies.[S1][S2]
Assets under scrutiny
In her defense, Calle clarified that her personal vehicle is a Peugeot 3008 purchased in 2023, after selling a Nissan Kicks and a Toyota Etios. Regarding the BMW M135 xDrive registered in her name, she said it was bought by her partner, who shared ownership with her. The defense stated that this modality corresponds to the usual family organization, where both are authorized to drive family vehicles.[S1][S3]
She also provided details about Grupo Vértice Global S.A., created on July 14, 2025, by Calle and her partner, describing it as a strictly family and private project, unrelated to the UOM or USEM. The initial capital came from personal savings, and the company has had no commercial activity. The investigation also looks into 114 international trips she allegedly made between 2010 and 2026, which her defense says were linked to her role in IndustriALL Global Union.[S1][S3]
