Maximiliano Pullaro

Maximiliano Pullaro
Governor of Santa Fe
Incumbent
Assumed office
10 December 2023
Vice GovernorGisela Scaglia (2023–2025)
Vacant (2025–present)
Preceded byOmar Perotti
Provincial Deputy of Santa Fe
In office
10 December 2019 – 10 December 2023
In office
10 December 2011 – 10 December 2015
Minister of Security of Santa Fe
In office
10 December 2015 – 10 December 2019
GovernorMiguel Lifschitz
Preceded byMarcos Escajadillo
Succeeded byMarcelo Saín
Personal details
Born (1974-12-06) 6 December 1974
Hughes, Argentina
PartyRadical Civic Union
Other political
affiliations
Progressive, Civic and Social Front (2015–2021)
Juntos por el Cambio (2021–2025)
United Provinces (2025–present)
EducationNational University of Rosario

Maximiliano Nicolás "Maxi" Pullaro (born 6 December 1974) is an Argentine politician, currently serving as a Governor of Santa Fe Province since 10 December 2023. A member of the Radical Civic Union (UCR), he previously served two terms as a member of the provincial legislature and as Minister of Security under Governor Miguel Lifschitz from 2015 to 2019.[1]

Early life and career

Pullaro was born on 6 December 1974 into a landowning family in the small agrarian town of Hughes, in the General López Department of Santa Fe Province. He studied law at the National University of Rosario.[2]

Security minister of Santa Fe

In 2015, he was appointed as Minister of Security of Santa Fe Province by Governor Miguel Lifschitz.[3][4] A few days after taking office, he faced the fallout from the triple escape from the prison in General Alvear, Buenos Aires. On 9 January 2016, Martín Lanatta, Christian Lanatta, and Víctor Schillaci were captured near Cayastá, two weeks after their escape, in an operation conducted by the Santa Fe Police.[5] Pullaro stated that "the experience demonstrates the need for greater coordination between the federal and provincial security forces",[6] after President Mauricio Macri announced that all three fugitives had been captured, when only one had actually been apprehended.[7] The other two were captured near the area the following day.

In December 2016, he became involved in a major dispute with Corrientes Province governor Ricardo Colombi over raids carried out in the city of Goya. The dispute culminated in the arrest of José Moyano, head of the province's former Dangerous Drugs division. Pullaro stated: "If every time we carry out a raid we have to announce where we are going, that information could be leaked, and under no circumstances do we want the operation to fail."[8]

Another widely publicized incident occurred in 2017, when Pullaro received an anonymous envelope informing him of alleged corruption involving police chief Rafael Grau. The complaint alleged that spare parts for police vehicles had been purchased at inflated prices and that payments had been made for services that were never provided.[9]

Pullaro played a key role in the arrest of seven members of "Los Monos", a prominent drug-trafficking criminal organization based in Rosario. He testified about his role in the investigation on 31 August 2021 and was praised by figures from across the political spectrum.[10]

Governor of Santa Fe

Election and campaign

Pullaro decided to run for governor of Santa Fe, with former PRO national deputy Gisela Scaglia as his running mate. In the primaries, he won the "United to Change Santa Fe" nomination, defeating Radical Civic Union senator Carolina Losada and Socialist deputy Mónica Fein. In the general election, he faced Peronist candidate Marcelo Lewandowski, whom he defeated by a wide margin. He received more than one million votes, becoming the most-voted gubernatorial candidate in the province's history.[11] Public security was the central issue of his campaign. He took office on 10 December 2023.

Pullaro alongside the governors of 18 other provinces and President Javier Milei during the signing of the May 25th Pact.

Security

Among his first measures were the reinstatement of high-security prison wings for inmates convicted of drug-trafficking offences, an increase in the number of police patrol vehicles in the cities of Santa Fe and Rosario, and the abolition of the non-retention policy in secondary schools.[12][13]

In early 2026, the provincial government's salary policy for the Santa Fe Police, based on staggered increases tied to tax revenue and without automatic indexation, triggered protests, coordinated use of police sirens, and partial barracks confinement in Rosario and Santa Fe. The unrest intensified following the suicide of a non-commissioned officer at the headquarters of Rosario's Regional Unit II. The Ministry of Justice and Security placed at least 20 officers on administrative leave, citing abandonment of duty and unlawful conduct during the demonstrations, while acknowledging the legitimacy of the salary dispute.[14][15][16]

In response, the provincial government introduced a police welfare package that combined salary increases, including a minimum salary and additional payments for operational and command duties, with expanded mental health, transportation, and accommodation measures.[17][18][19]

Constitutional reform

As governor, Pullaro promoted a reform of the provincial constitution, which had not been amended since 1962. The reform required approval by a qualified majority in both chambers of the provincial legislature, and the enabling law was passed on 6 December 2024. The election of constitutional convention delegates was held on 13 April 2025. Pullaro headed the list of the United to Change Santa Fe coalition, which received approximately 35% of the vote, almost 20 percentage points more than the second-placed candidate, Peronist Juan Monteverde.[20]

Following two months of intensive debate and negotiations, a new provincial constitution was approved on 10 September 2025. It added 46 new articles, amended another 42, and included 27 transitional provisions. Among its principal reforms were the establishment of municipal autonomy and changes to the terms of office in smaller localities, all of which would henceforth elect their authorities every four years rather than every two years. It also limited all local and provincial authorities to two four-year terms, including the governor, who had previously been barred from seeking immediate re-election. The composition of the Supreme Court was also changed to seven members, with a mandatory retirement age of 75.[21]

Electoral history

Executive

Electoral history of Maximiliano Pullaro
Election Office List Votes Result Ref.
Total % P.
2023 Governor of Santa Fe United to Change Santa Fe 1,031,964 58.47% 1st Elected [22]

Legislative

Electoral history of Maximiliano Pullaro
Election Office List # District Votes Result Ref.
Total % P.
2011 Provincial Deputy Progressive, Civic and Social Front 13 Santa Fe Province 550,882 36.12% 2nd[a] Elected [23]
2019 Progressive, Civic and Social Front 3 Santa Fe Province 712,485 41.17% 1st[a] Elected [24]
  1. 1 2 Presented on an electoral list. The data shown represents the share of the vote the entire party/alliance received in that constituency.

References

  1. ↑ "Los motivos de Lifschitz para que Pullaro sea ministro de Seguridad". Rosario Plus (in Spanish). 4 November 2015. Retrieved 11 December 2023.
  2. ↑ ""Lo tuvieron que vender": la desconocida historia de la familia de Maximiliano Pullaro ligada al campo". La Nación (in Spanish). 11 September 2023. Retrieved 11 December 2023.
  3. ↑ "Lifschitz's reasons for appointing Pullaro as Minister of Security" (in Spanish).
  4. ↑ "Exclusive: Lifschitz's ambitious plan to improve the police force". La Política Online (in Spanish).
  5. ↑ "End of the cinematic escape: the three fugitives in the triple-murder case captured in Cayastá" (in Spanish). 9 January 2016. Archived from the original on 24 February 2017. Retrieved 24 February 2017.
  6. ↑ "Triple escape: Santa Fe government says there was no joint operation with the national government". TN (in Spanish).
  7. ↑ "Macri, Vidal, and Bullrich said the three men convicted in the triple-murder case had been captured". La Nueva (in Spanish). 9 January 2016.
  8. ↑ "Pullaro defended the secrecy surrounding Santa Fe's anti-drug operation in Corrientes". La Capital (in Spanish). 22 December 2016.
  9. ↑ Diario El Litoral (26 May 2025). "Pullaro to testify in the trial of two former police chiefs accused of corruption". El Litoral (in Spanish).
  10. ↑ ""We feared for the judges' lives", Pullaro said during the Los Monos trial". La Capital (in Spanish). 31 August 2021.
  11. ↑ "Maximiliano Pullaro is the new governor of Santa Fe as the PJ loses another province". Ámbito (in Spanish). 10 September 2023.
  12. ↑ "Pullaro's first decree ended the non-retention policy in Santa Fe secondary schools". La Capital (in Spanish). 11 December 2023.
  13. ↑ "Piñero Prison: Pullaro ordered high-profile inmates to be transferred to special wings". Aire de Santa Fe (in Spanish). 11 December 2023.
  14. ↑ "Police barracks protest prompted Pullaro to approve salary increase". El Litoral (in Spanish). 11 February 2026.
  15. ↑ "Tyre burning and police sirens in Santa Fe as dispute between police and provincial government escalates". Infobae (in Spanish). 11 February 2026.
  16. ↑ "Santa Fe police protest for higher salaries as 20 officers are placed on administrative leave". El Tribuno (in Spanish). 10 February 2026.
  17. ↑ "Employment and salary improvements announced for the Santa Fe Police". Cadena 3 (in Spanish).
  18. ↑ "Santa Fe launches comprehensive plan for police salary and working-condition improvements". Telefe Santa Fe (in Spanish).
  19. ↑ "Comprehensive plan for the Santa Fe Police". Estación Online (in Spanish).
  20. ↑ "Pullaro wins by a wide margin in Santa Fe, with the PJ second and the libertarian candidate third". Perfil (in Spanish). 13 April 2025. Retrieved 1 October 2025.
  21. ↑ "Santa Fe Province now has a new constitution | Constitutional reform" (in Spanish). Retrieved 1 October 2025.
  22. ↑ "Elecciones 2023". santafe.gov.ar (in Spanish). Tribunal Electoral de la Provincia de Santa Fe. Retrieved 11 December 2023.
  23. ↑ "Elecciones 2011". santafe.gov.ar (in Spanish). Tribunal Electoral de la Provincia de Santa Fe. Retrieved 11 December 2023.
  24. ↑ "Elecciones 2019". santafe.gov.ar (in Spanish). Tribunal Electoral de la Provincia de Santa Fe. Retrieved 11 December 2023.
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