said response, the State filed three preliminary objections, namely: i) “[f]ailure to exhaust domestic remedies”; ii) “[the Court’s] lack of jurisdiction ratione temporis to hear claims regarding the consequences of the application of Law 23.892 of the debt consolidation regimen,” and iii) “Violation of the right to defense of the State of Argentina during the substantiation of the case before the Inter-American Commission.” Likewise, the State concluded that in this case there are insufficient elements to determine the violation of the rights or guarantees recognized under the American Convention. Finally, the State requested that the Court, in a subsidiary manner, “take into account international parameters and standards set by constant jurisprudence and reject excessive pecuniary claims.” The State appointed as its Agent the Minister Eduardo Acevedo Díaz, General Director of Human Rights of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, International Trade and Worship, and as deputy agents Alberto Javier Salgado, Director of International Litigation of the Human Rights Directorate, Ms. Andrea Gualde, International Director of Legal Affairs of the Secretariat of Human Rights and Ambassador Juan José Arcuri, Ambassador of the Republic of Argentina in Costa Rica. 8. Through the Order of November 23, 2011, under the terms of Article 4 of the Memorandum of Understanding signed between the Inter-American Court and the AIDEF, the President of the Court declared admissible the application for the Legal Assistance Fund for the representatives (supra para. 6).8 9. On December 9 and 10, 2011 the representatives and the Inter-American Commission presented, respectively, their observations to the preliminary objections filed by the State. In this regard, both the representatives and the Commission asked the Court to dismiss these objections. 10. Through the Order of January 24, 2012, 9 the President of the Court requested affidavits from one alleged victim, two witnesses and two expert witnesses, which were submitted on February 13 and 14, 2012. Furthermore, in said Order the President summoned the parties to a public hearing (infra para. 11) and made determinations regarding the Legal Assistance Fund (supra para. 8). 11. The public hearing took place on February 27 and 28, 2012 during the 94th Regular Period of Sessions of the Court, which took place at its seat.10 The statements of the alleged victim and three witnesses were received at the hearing, as well as the observations and closing oral arguments of the Inter-American Commission, the representatives and the State. During said hearing, and through the Secretariat’s note of March 2, 2012, the Court required 8 Case of Furlan and Family v. Argentina. Victims’ Legal Assistance Fund. Order of the President of the Inter-American Court of Human Rights of November 23, 2011. Available at: http://www.corteidh.or.cr/docs/Merits_victimas/furlan_fv_11.pdf 9 Cf. Case of Furlan and Family v. Argentina. Order of the President of the Inter-American Court of Human Rights of January 24, 2012. Available at: http://corteidh.or.cr/docs/asuntos/furlan.pdf 10 The following persons appeared at this hearing: a) for the Inter-American Commission: Rodrigo Escobar Gil, Commissioner; Elizabeth Abi Mershed, Deputy Executive Secretary, and Karla I. Quintana Osuna, Specialist of the Executive Secretariat; b) for the representatives: María Fernanda López Puleio, Inter-American Defender; Andrés Mariño, Inter-American Defender, and Nicolás Javier Ossola, and c) for the State: Javier Salgado, Agent, Director of International Litigation of the Human Rights Directorate, Argentinean Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Gonzalo Bueno, Department of International Litigation of the Human Rights Directorate, Argentinean Ministry of Foreign Affairs; Yanina Berra Rocca, General Department of Legal Counsel, Argentinean Ministry of Foreign Affairs; María Eugenia Carbone, Coordinator of International Affairs of the National Human Rights Secretariat; Natalia Luterstein, Advisor of the National Human Rights Secretariat, and Mariángeles Misuraca, Advisor to the National Human Rights Secretariat. 6