In Argentina, the struggle for control over the judicial system is intensifying, as the appointment of new judges and the reform of selection processes are transforming from a technical issue into a political power play. The new administration of President Javier Milei, led by Justice Minister Juan Bautista Mahiques and Secretary Santiago Viola, faces a dual risk. On one hand, it must demonstrate that filling vacancies and reforming competitions are part of a genuine institutional agenda. On the other, it must avoid these moves being perceived as a political takeover of key judicial system levers. The focus is on the Council of the Magistrature, the key body responsible for the selection and discipline of judges. Recently, the Supreme Court, led by Carlos Rosenkrantz and Ricardo Lorenzetti, proposed a reform to the judicial selection system aimed at reducing political discretion and strengthening technical merit. However, the absence of the signature of Supreme Court and Council of the Magistrature President Horacio Rosatti turned a technical discussion into a political signal. This situation became even more sensitive after Santiago Viola, a close ally of Milei, was appointed to the Council of the Magistrature. These changes have not just realigned power within the government but also signal a new dynamic in the relationship between the Casa Rosada (the President's office), the Supreme Court, and the Council of the Magistrature. While there is no formal break between the judiciary and the new political team, existing disagreements on key issues show that their relationship is not straightforward. In judicial circles, talk has begun of a possible shift in Carlos Rosenkrantz's position away from his historical alliance with Horacio Rosatti, which could alter the established dynamic and isolate Ricardo Lorenzetti. In this context, filling over 300 vacant judge, prosecutor, and defender positions, as well as reviewing hundreds more vacancies, takes on not only an administrative but also a political dimension. Whoever controls the vacancies controls the influence. Under these circumstances, any political struggle within the judiciary could directly impact sensitive cases linked to the current administration, from the LIBRA case to the investigation into Manuel Adorni's flights. Thus, the internal power struggle within the government is now reflected in the balance of power within the judicial system itself, turning it into a new battlefield for political conflict.
