Janina Ortiz seeks unpaid wages following corruption conviction

Janina Ortiz, a former deputy in Mendoza, Argentina, is seeking to recover 30 months of unpaid salary through a constitutional challenge filed with the Supreme Court of Justice of Mendoza. Ortiz was suspended from the Chamber of Deputies on March 27, 2024, following a vote that barred her from the chamber and prohibited salary payments until her judicial cases reached a final sentence.

Following a plea bargain, Ortiz and her partner, former Las Heras Mayor Daniel Orozco, admitted guilt for the crime of willful embezzlement. The case involved the diversion of approximately $35.5 million to a work cooperative between 2021 and 2023. Ortiz received a suspended three-year prison sentence and a permanent ban from holding public office.

Her legal defense argues that the suspension of her salary violated the principle of innocence, as the payments were withheld before a final conviction was reached. The defense claims a “legal loophole” exists, asserting that while the Chamber has disciplinary powers, it does not have the authority to withhold the salary of an elected official without a firm judicial sentence.