Argentina Senate approves judge Verónica Michelli despite Milei veto

On 6 June 2026 the Argentine Senate voted 44‑18‑2 to approve the nomination of María Verónica Michelli to the Federal Oral Court No. 3 in La Plata, despite President Javier Milei’s attempt to block the appointment on the grounds that Michelli is the sister‑in‑law of journalist Hugo Alconada Mon. The vote was part of a larger package of 74 judicial nominations processed by the Senate.

Justice Minister Juan Bautista Mahiques said the president is not compelled to sign the decree, emphasizing that the Senate’s approval merely enables the executive’s action. Senator Patricia Bullrich, leader of the La Libertad Avanza bloc, abstained from supporting the executive’s removal effort, highlighting internal tensions within the libertarian coalition. Senators from multiple parties backed the nomination, framing it as a defence of legislative autonomy.

The episode has sparked a broader dispute over judicial appointments, with further public hearings scheduled for additional candidates. The controversy underscores the fraught relationship between the executive and the legislature in Argentina’s ongoing judicial reform process.