Supreme Court president Ricardo Lorenzetti has called for the designation of a new judge to Argentina’s highest legal authority to be taken seriously by politicians, while declining to pass judgement on possible replacements for the retiring Raúl Zaffaroni.
The judge spoke out during the presentation of the new book «Justice and Media. The Communications Revolution of the Argentine Supreme Court,» written by journalist and lawyer María Bourdin, in the National Library.
«These are decisions for a different state power. We must be serious,» the justice explained, adding that «the National Constitution» is in place to establish the process of replacing members.
When Zaffaroni stands down in January the Supreme Court will be reduced to just four members; but Lorenzetti vowed that it would be business as usual for the entity.
«We are going to keep working in the same way whatever the circumstances. The most important thing are the principles, not the people,» he affirmed.
While as head of the executive President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner is tasked with appointing Zaffaroni’s successor as the fifth Court member, any designation must win the approval of two-thirds of the Senate. Several opposition figures have already hinted they would prefer any decision to be made after the presidential elections at the end of 2015.
Source: Buenos Aires Herald