Argentina's Senate held a public hearing for judge Carlos Mahiques' five-year term extension in the Federal Cassation Court, marked by clashes between ruling bloc and opposition. Kirchnerist senators questioned the process's legality and commission makeup, while Mahiques defended his record and rejected accusations over the Lago Escondido trip. Officialism and allies gathered signatures for a favorable report.
The Senate's Agreements Committee hearing revealed political tensions even before Carlos Mahiques' presentation. Senator Juliana Di Tullio claimed Unión por la Patria lacks proper representation on the commission and clashed with Patricia Bullrich: “Tranquila Patricia, solo estoy contando lo que hacen ustedes. Estoy contando lo que dice el reglamento, te guste o no”.
Mahiques, in the judiciary since 1974 and appointed in 2018, requested the five-year extension under Constitution article 99 paragraph 4, nearing age 75. Facing questions from Anabel Fernández Sagasti and Martín Soria on his Lago Escondido trip, the judge called it a “viaje de amigos” without corporate funding and noted judicial acquittal with no ethical breaches.
Opponents cited the Supreme Court's Bertuzzi ruling against non-competitive transfers and challenges from ACIJ and INECIP deeming it unconstitutional. Mahiques upheld his Macri-era transfer as institutionally approved and rejected ideological claims: “No me hago cargo de imputaciones a un supuesto grupo de jueces trasladados”.
Despite clashes, La Libertad Avanza, UCR, and allies signed a favorable report, ready for the chamber floor, possibly on April 29.
