“Thank you very much Mariano for these more than two years of tireless work. The new Minister of Justice is Dr. Juan Bautista Mahiques who will continue working to make Argentina great again,” the president posted Javier Milei in your personal account. The president announced the farewell of Mariano Cuneo Libarona of the Justice portfolio and the arrival of Juan Bautista Mahiques to succeed him.
Mahiques this was confirmed March 4 as new Minister of Justice of the Argentine Nation,in replacement of Mariano Cúneo Libarona. The decision was made official by Milei himself on social networks and in Casa Rosada, aiming to “continue with the institutional agenda” of the Government. Lawyer graduated from the University of Buenos Aires and with a master’s degree in Administration of Justice, he has been building his career in the intimate link between politics and the Judiciary.
Since 2019, he has been attorney general of the City of Buenos Aires, a position that catapulted him as head of Buenos Aires prosecutors. Since 2022, he has also chaired the International Association of Prosecutors, a global organization that brings together prosecutors from more than 170 countries. His profile, however, does not escape tensions and controversies. Although he is not an ideological reference for libertarianism like some ministers in the current cabinet, his arrival in Justice is interpreted as a gesture to reinforce control over the judicial system.
The new minister is perceived as a member with experience and networks in the traditional political-judicial framework, which facilitates his fit with the reformist agenda of the Executive. His appointment was also analyzed as an attempt to maintain government control, particularly with sectors linked to Karina Milei and the cousins Eduardo Lule Menem and Martín Menemcarrying out internal pressure on the influence of Santiago Caputo within the ruling coalition. A new front that opens to disputes over the control of sensitive judicial cases and ongoing institutional reforms.
During the government of Mauricio Macri he served as representative of the Executive in the Council of the Judiciary. In the court world, they describe Mahiques as a leader with oiled dialogue in Comodoro Py, where judges and federal prosecutors converge. In offdifferent actors associate it with a good relationship with sectors linked to Daniel Angelicihistoric judicial operator of Macrismo.
His name is also mentioned in a particularly sensitive context. The conflict in the Argentine Football Association (AFA) and the investigations for alleged corruption surrounding a property attributed to Pablo Toviggino They added tension in the federal courts. Some versions indicate the presence of the prosecutor in the Toviggino farm, the same one investigated by Justice for an alleged case of money laundering. It was there where the chambermaid Carlos Mahiques, father of Juan Bautista, celebrated his birthday.
Also, in contrast to his technical profile, Mahiques’ family and personal ties have come under scrutiny. Belonging to a “judicial family” with weight within the Judicial Branchhis father, Carlos “Coco” Mahiquesis a judge of the Federal Chamber of Criminal Cassation whose renewal document generated controversy in the Senate. His brothers also occupy positions of influence: Ignacio Mahiques He is a Buenos Aires prosecutor with participation in high-profile cases, and Esteban Mahiques He serves in the Foreign Ministry and became a member of the Disciplinary Court of the Argentine Football Association (AFA).
These connections with the AFA fueled questions about the independence of its actions and the permeability of personal ties with sensitive institutional decisions. Although there is no direct judicial evidence that links Juan Bautista to illicit practices, the family context and his proximity to sports leaders under investigation are part of the public debate around his figure. With the internal dispute open in the ruling party and the judicial panel in boiling water, the future of the Ministry of Justice became a key piece.
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