On 10 June, Argentina’s Supreme Court upheld a 2022 federal court conviction of former president Cristina Fernández de Kirchner on corruption charges, rejecting her appeals. The ruling permanently bans her from holding public office and sentences her to six years in prison, to be served under house arrest. Tens of thousands Fernández de Kirchner’s supporters demonstrated against the ruling nationwide, calling it an undemocratic attempt to sideline the opposition’s leading figure. In an already polarized political climate, the verdict has sharply divided legal experts and politicians. Some view it as a victory for judicial independence and accountability, while others see it as a politically motivated move, rushed through ahead of critical midterm elections. Her legal team has announced plans to appeal the decision to the Inter-American Court of Human Rights, although experts note that the process may take several years and is unlikely to yield different results.

Sources: International IDEA, Chequeado, El pais, Buenos Aires Times, La Nacion

On 17 June, President Javier Milei announced significant changes to Argentina’s federal police through Decree 383/2025. The decree aims to redefine the functions, objectives and mission of the federal police, transforming it into a criminal investigation force. Human rights organizations have raised concerns, warning that the decree grants the police discretionary powers to carry out arrests and surveillance without judicial warrants under weak oversight mechanisms. They argue that the vague provisions could enable the criminalization of dissent and cyber-patrolling of opponents with grave impacts on civil liberties. Critics also contend that such structural reforms require congressional approval and broad public debate involving civil society. Opposition politicians have announced plans to challenge the decree, calling it unconstitutional for exceeding the scope of the legislative powers granted to President Milei under the controversial ‘Ley Bases’.

Sources: El Pais, Centro de Estudios Legales y Sociales, Chequeado, Presidencia de la Nacion, Infobae, International IDEA

On 29 May, the government issued a ‘Necessity and Urgency Decree’ (No. 366/2025) to reform the country’s migration legal framework, sparking criticism over the executive bypassing Congress. The reform tightens conditions for acquiring permanent residency and citizenship, denies entry to migrants with any criminal record and accelerates deportation procedures. It makes migrants making ‘significant monetary investment’ eligible for citizenship regardless of time of stay. It also ends free public healthcare for temporary or irregular migrants, except in emergencies, and allows national universities to charge tuition fees to temporary migrants. Human rights and migrant-rights organizations have criticized the decree, arguing that the executive bypassed Congress and failed to justify the issue as necessary and urgent. They note that previous legislation resulted from broad social dialogue and was unanimously approved in both chambers and was widely praised as effective until now.

Sources: Boletin Oficial, Centro de Estudios Legales y Sociales, BBC, Pagina 12
 

On 3 April, the Argentine Senate rejected President Milei’s two nominees for the Supreme Court: federal judge Ariel Lijo and law professor Manuel García-Mansilla. This followed Milei’s controversial decision to bypass the Congress by appointing both nominees by presidential decree, arguing that the constitution granted him the authority to do so during a congressional recess. This action was widely criticized as an overreach of executive power and a threat to judicial independence. After the Senate’s rejection, García-Mansilla, who had already assumed his position, submitted his resignation to the executive. Lijo had not been allowed to assume his role, as the Supreme Court refused to accept his appointment while he remained on leave from his federal judgeship, insisting he first resign. He had therefore decided to wait for Senate confirmation. As a result, Argentina’s Supreme Court remains with only three of its five seats filled. Legal experts have praised the Senate’s decision as a necessary stand against what they see as one of the most serious threats to judicial independence in the country’s democratic era.

Sources: AP News, International IDEA, Chequeado (1), Chequeado (2), Infobae

On 12 March, the weekly demonstration led by pensioners—held every Wednesday to protest the government’s severe pension cuts—was brutally repressed by police. The crackdown resulted in over a hundred arrests and dozens of injuries, including a journalist left in critical condition after being struck in the head by a tear gas canister thrown by police. Shortly afterward, a judge ordered the immediate release of all detainees, ruling that security forces had failed to provide basic information justifying the arrests, violating the protesters’ constitutional rights to freedom of expression and assembly. Civil society organizations warn the government is increasingly using excessive force to suppress protests and normalizing the criminalization of dissent—practices they say pose a serious threat to democracy. The government defended police actions and announced plans to prosecute a dozen protesters on sedition charges, as well as pursue disciplinary action against the judge who ordered their release.

Sources: BBC, WOLA, Clarin, The Guardian, Pagina 12, Mapa de la Policía