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Justice Minister Mariano Cúneo Libarona had been summoned to the Chamber of Deputies' Committee on Women and Diversity to explain the current state of gender policies following the dismantling of the Ministry of Women, Gender and Diversity and programs against violence. However, the committee meeting, chaired by Deputy Monica Macha, ended up becoming a news story and a scandal. Instead of answering questions, the minister shielded himself with a series of false claims and statements about sexual diversity that not only violate Argentine law but also the recognition of international human rights law and practices. 

What the minister said

“Gender is no longer the only focus; we are moving towards other values, towards family. The family is the center of society and education. Traditional family values ​​are love, unity, work, study, and equality before the law. Promoting patriotic symbols and respecting and honoring our national heroes are central to harmony and social cohesion. We reject the diversity of sexual identities, which are not aligned with biology; they are subjective inventions,” the minister said. 

Several members of parliament quickly pointed out that his speech was pathologizing and unacceptable, including Vanina Biasi, Paula Penacca, Maximiliano Ferraro, and Esteban Paulon. “Denying our identities and reducing gender politics to 'subjective inventions' is a step backward of decades in the fight for equality,” Paulon later reiterated on his social media. But a group of libertarian activists who were present applauded him loudly. 

They demand that he retract or resign

From various sectors, there were condemnations and repudiations of the statements made by one of the authorities responsible for promoting the protection of human rights in his role. The Argentine LGBT+ Federation went further: it demanded that the minister retract his statements or resign. “ We demand that the Minister of Justice immediately retract his statements and that the Government take concrete measures to promote equality and inclusion of sexual and gender diversity in all areas of society. We will not allow setbacks in human rights. Argentina is an example of equality and freedom in the world, and we will not cease to be so at the behest of those who seem to defend only the freedom to hate, discriminate, and attack people .”

Request for interpellation and impeachment

The Pride and Struggle Front, for its part, called on the National Congress to summon Cúneo Libarona for questioning and to consider initiating impeachment proceedings against him "for misconduct in office, the illegality and unconstitutionality of his statements, the dismantling of gender policies, and for the position and rank from which he issued this message." His statement, they expressed in a press release, " violates current laws, the National Constitution, and international instruments that constitute obligations for the Argentine State. The minister exacerbates ancestral mandates and prejudices that dictate women's sole purpose is reproduction and domestic work, and that categorize LGBTI+ people as 'sick,' thus violating the principle of equality and non-discrimination .

Ricardo Vallarino, 100% Diversity and Rights

The president of 100% Diversity and Rights, Ricardo Vallarino, said: “ We are facing the most misogynistic and anti-LGBT government of the democratic period . The minister's statements are extremely serious. Added to the constant attacks and dismantling of policies since the beginning of this administration, they alarm us. He is perpetuating prejudices that endanger LGBT people and creating a system of license for any violent individual to discriminate against and attack us. The minister's words are further aggravated by the fact that they blatantly contradict current laws supported by Argentine society.”

Vallarino emphasized that, moreover, the minister offered no specifics regarding the dismantling of all support services for addressing, preventing, and punishing violence against women and LGBT individuals. “It is extremely concerning that a minister with a dubious background is appointed as an authority within the justice system, and from a moral pedestal based on supposed traditional values,” she stated. She also announced that on November 2nd, the day of the Pride march in Buenos Aires, “we will call upon all of Argentine society to condemn these attacks against our lives and against the principles of equality and freedom.”. 

Marcela Tobaldi, transvestite activist, The Orange Rose

Marcela Tobaldi, founder of the transvestite and trans organization La Rosa Naranja, said: “We are witnessing a political project that is harming Argentina. They are trying to annihilate a society that has been evolving in terms of human rights. This has been the struggle since 1983, and this man's refusal to recognize the entire LGBT+ community is the biggest international disgrace he could have committed. I believe we must fight for Milei's impeachment. The Argentine people must rise up and give a lesson in civility, rights, and democracy.”

Darío Arias, Conurbanes por la Diversidad and ILGALAC

Darío Arias, coordinator of Conurbanes por la Diversidad and co-secretary of the International Association ILGALAC (International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association for Latin America and the Caribbean), stressed that Cúneo Libarona's statements "are not an isolated incident.". 

"These events are taking place within the context of a government that is dismantling institutions dedicated to sexual diversity and the prevention and treatment of discrimination; gutting public policies for the LGBT+ population, while simultaneously deepening a narrative of hatred and violence towards our identities, lives, and struggles. Ultimately, what they are seeking is to erase our identities and sweep away our struggles ," she stated.

However, in the face of this attack, the LGBTQ+ movement is responding "with more organization, more struggle, and a deepening of our work in every neighborhood, every district, every province." " We have already experienced this history of attacks against our community on numerous occasions, and they will not succeed in making us lower our flags or stop us from living our lives with pride ," he concluded.

Gabriela Mansilla, Free Childhoods

Gabriela Mansilla, founder of Childhoods Free of Violence and Discrimination, is particularly concerned about two points. On the one hand, "how are children and adolescents in schools, where this discourse circulates among the same classmates who voted for Milei in high school, going to defend themselves? There's a faction in power saying that they don't exist, that it's wrong, that we have to go back to tradition, that gender doesn't exist. Children who are developing, who need support, care, and protection, where are they going to find it?" she asked.

On the other hand, she is concerned about the "thousands of families who are currently going through their children's transition and the part of society that applauds all of this." "They walk down the street, they are within our families, you run into them when you go to the supermarket. The hatred that is taking root in the streets is worrying ," she emphasized.

"It's very dangerous for adults, for children, and for teenagers who need our care, support, love, and our hugs. I don't understand what we're doing, what we need to do to take to the streets and shout 'Enough!' Not one step further. Enough. We can't take it anymore.".

Leo Grosso, former legislator and leader of the Evita Movement

“As I said on some social media platform, calling Cúneo Libarona mediocre or ignorant is a compliment. At this point, it's a disgrace that, as Minister of Justice, he doesn't adhere to the law. And we don't care much about his personal opinion; what we expect from him is that he enforces the laws that exist in the country,” the former legislator told Presentes.

That Montenegro, a trans male activist

Montenegro, a trans man human rights activist, said that the minister “used the entire intervention to evade basic questions he should have answered.” He says this in a context where Loan remains missing in Corrientes, a provincial deputy allied with La Libertad Avanza and the PRO party has fled justice after being accused of pedophilia and trafficking in child images, the Ministry of Social Development is not distributing stored food, and the justice system continues to fail to intervene, “and the list goes on and on.”.

“ What Cúneo Libarona said violates the laws and international treaties that the Argentine State achieved during the last 40 years of democracy .” For Montenegro, it’s a strategy: “I don’t think he’s unaware of these laws; he’s choosing to violate them to shift attention.” He adds the example from a few days ago, when President Javier Milei shared on his social media a poster about “the prison of progressivism,” which, according to the president, depicted “a lot of gay sex.”

“They’re using the human rights agenda as a smokescreen to hide the social, economic, and cultural devastation they’re causing with their political and ideological approach ,” Montenegro stated. Beyond the minister’s personal opinion, he explained, what’s truly concerning is “what the State is doing about the kids going to bed hungry, the ever-increasing unemployment, the lack of comprehensive sex education, and so many other urgent needs.” He called on everyone to consider how to develop strategies for action in response to what’s happening in general, and also to “choose what to focus on, since we’re not giving it so much media attention.”

Agustina Ponce, trans activist, Equal World Association

For Agustina Ponce, president of the Equal World Association (AMI) and former Undersecretary of Diversity Policies, “the Minister of Justice’s denial of national laws and international human rights treaties is appalling.” “It constitutes a flagrant breach of his duties as a public official . This is something that cannot be ignored,” she emphasized.

And he recalled: “Mariano Cúneo Libarona is a very controversial figure. He has been detained as part of the investigation into the AMIA bombing . He has also been involved in the defense of the brothers of (former First Lady and wife of Carlos Menem) Zulema Yoma. Cúneo Libarona was the partner of Emir Yoma's private secretary, a woman (Lourdes Di Natale) who was found dead in 2003. Shortly before, Cúneo Libarona had taken her daughter away.”

He added: “The Minister of Justice of the Nation has a record that puts him in a state of impunity to say what he says and do what he does: violate the regulations for which he is in the position that we are all paying for.”.

María Rachid, Institute against Discrimination of the Ombudsman's Office of the City of Buenos Aires

"Hearing the Minister of Justice spout such nonsense in Congress yesterday was outrageous. They want to destroy everything we've built over all these years, ignoring the laws and public policies that have put us at the forefront of the world in terms of human rights. But they won't succeed; we won't allow them to push us even one step backward.".

Various organizations are promoting initiatives to condemn the statements and call for strengthening the rights of all. The Organizing Committee of the 18th Rosario Pride March declared: "Faced with hatred, ignorance, and violence, we will resist with more pride, more diversity, and more freedom." They called for a massive Pride march on October 5th in Rosario, from Plaza Libertad to the National Flag Memorial.