Overview
- The Chamber of Deputies voted to expel Janina Ortiz on Wednesday, November 4, 2026, following a unanimous recommendation from the Derechos y Garantías commission.
- Ortiz was convicted in a juicio abreviado on October 20, 2026, receiving a three-year suspended prison term and perpetual disqualification for corruption and aggravated threats tied to her time in Las Heras.
- Legislators grounded the expulsion in articles 65 and 91 of Mendoza’s constitution and said the two-thirds vote threshold was met; Ortiz did not appear to present a defense to the commission and did not resign before the vote.
- The chamber declared Ortiz’s seat vacant and will notify the Junta Electoral so that María Belén Castillo, next on the 2023 La Unión Mendocina list, can be offered the post once administrative steps are completed.
- Ortiz had been suspended from the legislature since March 2024 after being formally charged, and the vote closes the suspension process while prompting immediate administrative work to restore full representation for her district.