Juan Bautista Mahiques, current Attorney General of the City of Buenos Aires, will assume the role of Minister of Justice following Mariano Cúneo Libarona's resignation. The appointment occurs amid cabinet reshuffles under President Javier Milei, including a prior meeting with Karina Milei and Manuel Adorni. Mahiques will begin his tenure with a comprehensive review of the ministry.
Mariano Cúneo Libarona resigned from the Ministry of Justice, stating that his energy was aligned with 2023 challenges and that a different profile was needed to continue the management. In an interview, he said: “Someone with my 2023 energy had to come,” and emphasized that his departure was discussed with President Javier Milei and work teams. He leaves with peace of mind for having met objectives and bets on a handover that sustains institutional priorities.
Juan Bautista Mahiques, 45 years old, was appointed as the new minister. Current Attorney General of the City of Buenos Aires since 2018, where he shapes the city's criminal policy, Mahiques has a career in politics and Justice. During Mauricio Macri's government, he held key roles in the link between the Executive and Judicial branches, including representative in the National Magistracy Council. Journalist Irina Hauser described his career as “frondosa” (lush) and noted institutional tensions during that period, with changes in the judicial system and strategic appointments.
On March 4, 2026, Mahiques met at the Casa Rosada with Karina Milei, Secretary General of the Presidency, Manuel Adorni, Cabinet Chief, and Santiago Viola, appointed as Secretary of Justice. The meeting outlined axes for the new stage, and Viola, close to Karina Milei and legal representative of La Libertad Avanza, strengthens the leadership scheme. The swearing-in will take place on Thursday, March 6, in the Salón Blanco, before Milei's trip to the United States.
Mahiques will begin a comprehensive review of the Ministry, focusing on nominations for over 150 federal judicial vacancies that have not been sent to the Senate. His appointment, along with Viola, reflects reconfigurations in the officialism and greater influence in federal courts. Hauser noted that Justice is terrain of extreme importance for the Government, with the judicial table reporting directly to Karina Milei. Mahiques comes from a family with a judicial trajectory; his father, Carlos Mahiques, participated in the 2022 Lago Escondido trip, which involved judges and Clarín Group executives and sparked controversy due to leaked chats. His closeness to Daniel Angelici is also mentioned.
