Buenos Aires Judiciary to Prosecute More Serious Crimes, Including Those Involving Minors

The City of Buenos Aires is set to significantly expand its judicial authority, taking on the prosecution of serious crimes previously handled by the national justice system. An agreement between the national and city governments will transfer jurisdiction over offenses such as sexual abuse, promotion of prostitution, and unlawful deprivation of liberty to the City's judiciary.

This move represents a further step in the ongoing transfer of competencies to the local justice system, solidifying the city's magistrates' role in replacing their national counterparts. While the national justice system will still handle the most severe crimes like homicides, the city will now oversee cases involving honor, sexual integrity, freedom, and intellectual property.

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We have been working since the first day of our administration to fulfill the Constitution. The judicial competencies that correspond to the City are being transferred, and after 30 years of our autonomy, the Nation was still administering them.

A key aspect of the agreement involves juvenile offenders. All new cases involving minors will be exclusively handled by the City of Buenos Aires's Juvenile Penal System. This specialized system has been undergoing training to manage these cases. However, cases initiated before the agreement's implementation will remain under the jurisdiction of the National Juvenile Justice system until their judgments are finalized.

Gabino Tapia, the city's Minister of Justice, emphasized that this transfer fulfills the constitutional mandate for judicial autonomy, which has been administered by the nation for 30 years. The goal, he stated, is to consolidate public policies aimed at restoring order and security, providing efficient and accessible justice for the city's residents. The agreements will take effect after ratification by the National Congress and the City Legislature.

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We aim to consolidate public policies to restore order and security, and provide efficient and close justice for the residents of Buenos Aires.