Leila Chaher, a leader of La Cámpora in Jujuy, criticized on April 10 the recent decision by federal judge Esteban Hansen to impose a judicial intervention on the Justicialist Party (PJ) of Jujuy, replacing its previous leadership with Ricardo Villada from Salta. Chaher described it as “pathetic” that some members of the party celebrated the court’s ruling and pointed to what she called a “power structure” involving Salta Governor Gustavo Sáenz and other peronists who “break away and then take matters to court.”
Chaher said this development is significant because it raises concerns about internal democracy within political parties and possible external influences on their organization. She argued that there is no precedent for a federal judge intervening in a provincial party in this way.
In an interview with El Submarino Radio, Chaher stated: “There is nothing to celebrate.” She continued: “Peronism does not celebrate judicial interventions. Peronism has a very complex history, with 18 years of proscription, judicialization, disappearances, detentions. Today our main leader, president of the national PJ, is imprisoned and banned. So hearing some who claim to be comrades celebrate a judge’s ruling is pathetic and reprehensible.” She also questioned Judge Hansen’s arguments as lacking legal foundation.
Chaher recalled that the national PJ decided to intervene in Jujuy’s party structure in 2023 during provincial constitutional reforms and episodes of repression. According to her account, these actions were justified politically due to internal divisions within local peronism but did not warrant further judicial involvement: “Obviously, the normalization process could not be completed. Does that justify judicial intervention? Of course not,” she said.
She further criticized Villada’s appointment as party overseer since he is not even affiliated with the PJ. Regarding future steps for the party after this decision, Chaher confirmed they would appeal: “Nothing will be resolved; this only makes things worse,” she said.
Chaher concluded by saying: “Peronism will only win elections again and become a majority when it truly represents the interests of people from Jujuy rather than those of an entrenched political and economic class inside the Justicialist Party.”
