Argentina removes federal judge Alfredo Eugenio López over antisemitic remarks

Argentina’s Jury of Impeachment has removed federal judge Alfredo Eugenio López from office following a series of antisemitic social media posts. López, who presided over Federal Court No. 4 in Mar del Plata, was found to have engaged in misconduct incompatible with his judicial role.

In his posts, López referred to the Jewish people as “a brood of vipers,” characterized Israel as a “fictitious state,” and labeled Argentinian Jews as “foreigners.” The panel also noted his use of terms such as “Zionist” and “gay” as insults. The impeachment panel ruled that these actions constituted “discrimination and the denial of equal rights against the Argentine Jewish community,” ultimately shattering public confidence in his ability to administer justice impartially.

The proceedings were initiated through the Council of the Magistracy in Buenos Aires. Complaints were filed by several organizations, including the Delegación de Asociaciones Israelitas Argentinas, the Argentine Forum Against Antisemitism, and attorney Yamil Santoro of the Apolo Foundation. In his defense, López argued his remarks were “subjective and decontextualized interpretations” that did not impact his impartiality or any pending cases.