Eduardo Sosa reinstated as Santa Cruz Attorney General after 30 years

After more than three decades, Eduardo Sosa has been reinstated as the Attorney General of Justice in Argentina's Santa Cruz province. The provincial legislature approved his restitution on Thursday, ending a long-standing institutional dispute that began in 1995.

Sosa was originally dismissed from his post by a judicial reform pushed by then-Governor Néstor Kirchner and his wife, Cristina Kirchner. This reform allegedly violated the principle of judicial immovability, a cornerstone of judicial independence. Despite repeated orders from Argentina's Supreme Court of Justice to reinstate him, Sosa remained out of office, making his case a symbol of institutional disregard and defiance of the highest court's rulings.

The initiative for Sosa's restitution was championed by current Governor Claudio Vidal. He described the event as closing "one of the deepest institutional wounds in our history." Vidal recounted meeting Sosa before taking office and hearing a story of decades of unfulfilled claims and judicial failures, pledging to find a definitive solution.

“

After more than thirty years, with the restitution of Dr. Sosa, in Santa Cruz we close one of the deepest institutional wounds in our history.

The project to restore Sosa to his position was sent to the legislature in October amid a significant conflict between the executive and legislative branches and the Superior Court of Justice. The proposal faced resistance from judges perceived as aligned with Kirchnerism, particularly regarding the expansion of the Superior Court. Initially, the bill was held in committee, with concerns it might not pass the plenary session.

During committee review, the proposal was modified. While retaining the title of Attorney General of Justice, Sosa's authority will now be limited to the Public Prosecutor's Ministry, excluding the public defenders' office, unlike in 1995 when his position was dissolved. Officials stated that current judicial officers would not face job losses due to this reform. Sosa served as Attorney General of Justice from 1990 to 1995 before the reform that split the role and led to his removal.

“

We are not aware of what it means to pursue justice for more than thirty years and despite having won the fight, never be reinstated in the position, what happened today repairs the institutions and constitutionality in the province.