Argentine Senate approves a judge Milei opposed over her ties to an investigative journalist

Friday, June 5th 2026 - 00:26 UTC

The Justice Ministry had asked to withdraw the nomination after the family tie to Alconada Mon —who investigates, among other cases, the $LIBRA cryptocurrency scandal— became known

Argentina's Senate on Thursday approved the appointment of María Verónica Michelli as a judge of Federal Oral Court No. 3 in La Plata, a nomination President Javier Milei had tried to block because she is the sister-in-law of journalist Hugo Alconada Mon, of the newspaper LA NACION. The nomination was approved on the floor by 44 votes to 18 —all the negatives from the ruling party— with two abstentions, in a session that exposed a rift within the governing bloc.

The Justice Ministry had asked to withdraw the nomination after the family tie to Alconada Mon —who investigates, among other cases, the $LIBRA cryptocurrency scandal— became known. The head of the La Libertad Avanza bloc, Patricia Bullrich, refused to comply with that order and abstained, invoking her “conscientious objection.” “That is my position, and I do not commit my bloc,” she said. The only ruling-party senator to vote in favor was Francisco Paoltroni, of Formosa, while Luis Juez, of Córdoba, left the chamber.