Austral University removed Judge Makintach after the Maradona scandal.

Austral University decided to suspend Judge Julieta Makintachfrom her position as a Criminal Law instructor. The measure was taken after  recordings made during the hearings of the trial investigating Diego Maradona's death  were leaked, in which the magistrate participated actively.

Until the scandal broke, Makintach taught in the  law degree program and the Master's in Criminal Law.  The decision was reported by sources from the academic institution, who described the suspension as indefinite.

The images that sparked the controversy were taken inside the courtroom, with an almost confessional tone. There, the judge spoke about her role in the trial, answered questions, and was filmed entering the room where the main defendants are being tried, such as neurosurgeon Leopoldo Luque and psychiatrist Agustina Cosachov.

A documentary at the center of the storm

The recordings were part of an alleged documentary project that, according to a cameraman, focused primarily on Judge Makintach.  The informal title circulating in the judicial corridors was "God's Judge," which further heightened the controversy.

The material was found during raids carried out by the San Isidro prosecutor's office. Carolina Asperella, Cecilia Chaieb, and José Amallo are leading an investigation classified as  "inquiry into wrongdoing,"  although possible criminal charges are already being considered.

The scandal grew in response to statements from the plaintiffs.  Fernando Burlando,  attorney for Maradona's daughters, announced that he will request the judge's recusal on the grounds that she violated the principles of decorum and neutrality. Mario Baudry, representative of Verónica Ojeda and Dieguito Fernando,  was even harsher: "This is the biggest judicial scandal in the province of Buenos Aires."

A prestigious career now in jeopardy

Makintach was appointed to the Oral Criminal Court No. 2 of San Isidro in 2017, after a 27-year career in the Judiciary. She is  the daughter of Judge Juan Makintach, and her appointment was officially approved in 2016, after she applied in 2014.

According to her public profile, in addition to being the mother of two children, she is also an ontological coach. Until recently, her image was that of an exemplary magistrate, with frequent participation in legal conferences and academic events throughout the country.

In 2023, she participated in the 25th anniversary of the accusatory system in Buenos Aires Province, where she shared a panel with Mariano Cúneo Libarona, now Minister of Justice of the Nation. She also gave a presentation on the Lucio Dupuy case at the "Women in Law" forum.

Meanwhile, the Buenos Aires Supreme Court must decide whether Makintach will continue in the court presiding over the trial for Maradona's death. The institutional storm is already underway.