The decision follows the publication of Europe's Leather Addiction Is Stripping Argentina's Forests, a cross-border investigation supported by Journalismfund Europe that examined how illegally harvested quebracho timber enters international leather supply chains.
Published in November 2025, the investigation traced tannin extracted from quebracho trees in Argentina's Gran Chaco to global leather manufacturers, revealing how weaknesses in forest governance and supply chain oversight have allowed timber of questionable or illegal origin to reach international markets. The reporting highlighted concerns over illegal deforestation, weak enforcement of environmental legislation and limited traceability within global leather supply chains.
On 15 May 2026, the Federal Criminal Cassation Court overturned an earlier ruling that had partially lifted the suspension on land clearing in Chaco. The judges concluded that the adoption of a new provincial forest zoning law did not, in itself, justify resuming deforestation, as the environmental risks identified in the case had not been shown to have been addressed.
The court also ruled that oversight of deforestation permits cannot remain solely in the hands of provincial authorities while criminal proceedings into alleged illegal logging networks are ongoing. The case has now been returned to the Federal Court in Resistencia, which must issue a new decision taking into account the precautionary principle and the risks to native forests.
The Cassation Court's ruling strengthens legal protections for native forests in Chaco and is regarded by environmental organisations as an important precedent for the application of Argentina's Forest Law. Criminal investigations into the alleged "Mafia del Desmonte" network and the granting of deforestation permits in the province remain ongoing.
