The Government released a photograph of the Minister of Justice, Juan Bautista Mahiquestogether with the federal judge Ariel Lijo at a summit of the FATF, the international anti-money laundering organization, held in Paris. The image unleashed a political storm: Lijo is the magistrate in charge of the investigation into alleged illicit enrichment of the Chief of Staff, Manuel Adorniand his presence alongside the Minister of Justice on French soil was read as an alarm signal about the independence of Justice.
The anti-corruption prosecutor Maria Eugenia Talerico It was one of the hardest voices. “They laugh in our faces,” he wrote on his social networks. “That Lijo is in Paris with Mahiques while investigating Adorni is an affront to citizens. The Bangalore Principles, the international standard on Judicial Conduct, say it clearly: this is incompatible with the position. It is grounds for impeachment,” he stated forcefully.
It was not the first time that Talerico fired in this direction. On June 9, he had already warned that the situation was unacceptable: “Lijo is the judge who resolves Adorni’s situation. Mahiques, the Minister of Justice, invited him to the FATF meeting in Paris without explaining the reasons why he would be necessary in the mission. A shame, they are going on a walk to cook up criminal matters taking advantage of an international meeting.”
The trip is also read in terms of the Government’s internal code. Mahiques is aligned with Karina Mileiwhile Lijo is noted as close to the presidential advisor Santiago Caputoconfronted with the President’s sister. Both represent different sectors of power in Comodoro Py and were in tension due to the latest documents sent to Congress. In addition to the case against Adorni, Lijo has other sensitive investigations for the Government, such as alleged bribes in the National Disability Agency (Andis). Lijo was part of a delegation from the Judiciary that presented before the FATF together with the federal judge Sebastian Casanello and the head of Dajudeco, Tomás Rodríguez Ponteformer clerk of the Lijo court. He also participated Matias Alvarezpresident of the Financial Information Unit (UIF).
Government sources defended the mission as a strictly technical trip in which Argentina sought to present its progress in the fight against money laundering, and protested what they described as a politicization of the delegation. Mahiques also held a bilateral meeting with Giles Thomsonnext president of the FATF for the period 2026-2028, where the challenges linked to the prevention of money laundering and the financing of terrorism were addressed. It was not revealed, however, if Lijo and Mahiques spoke about the case involving Adorni. The trip extends until Friday.
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