| Juan Zabaleta | |
| Term Start: | 14 October 2022 |
| Term End: | 8 December 2023 |
| Predecessor: | Damián Selci |
| Successor: | Damian Selci |
| Term Start1: | 10 December 2015 |
| Term End1: | 5 August 2021 |
| Predecessor1: | Luis Emilio Acuña |
| Successor1: | Damián Selci |
| Office2: | Minister of Social Development |
| President2: | Alberto Fernández |
| Term Start2: | 10 August 2021 |
| Term End2: | 13 October 2022 |
| Predecessor2: | Daniel Arroyo |
| Successor2: | Victoria Tolosa Paz |
| Birth Date: | 29 April 1967 |
| Birth Place: | Haedo, Argentina |
| Party: | Justicialist Party |
Juan Horacio "Juanchi" Zabaleta (born 29 April 1967) is an Argentine politician and retired racing driver, currently serving as intendente (mayor) of Hurlingham, a partido in the Greater Buenos Aires metropolitan area. He was first elected in 2015 and re-elected in 2019. From 2021 to 2022, he was the country's Minister of Social Development in the cabinet of President Alberto Fernández.
Zabaleta was born on 29 April 1967 in Haedo, a suburb in the Greater Buenos Aires conurbation. In his youth, he was a co-pilot for racing driver Luis "Patita" Minervino in Turismo Carretera.[1] Zabaleta and Minervino won thirteen races and were runners-up in 1995 and 1996 for Chevrolet. In 2012, now as a mechanical technician, Zabaleta successfully lobbied for the state purchase of Turismo Carretera and the public transmission of races during the government of Cristina Fernández de Kirchner.[2]
Zabaleta began his political activism in the Justicialist Party. He was director of union affairs in the National Social Security Administration (ANSES) from 2004 to 2007, and administrative manager in the General Secretariat of ANSES starting in 2007. He also served as Administrative Director of the Argentine Senate under Amado Boudou.[3] From 2009 to 2011 he was Undersecretary of Institutional Affairs at the Ministry of Economy.[4]
In 2015, Zabaleta ran for the mayoralty of Hurlingham as part of the Front for Victory; he won with 38% of the vote.[5] He took office on 12 December 2015, succeeding Luis Acuña.[6] He was re-elected for a second term in 2019 with over 54% of the vote, as part of the Frente de Todos coalition.[7]
On 9 August 2021, Cabinet Chief Santiago Cafiero confirmed Zabaleta would be the next Minister of Social Development of Argentina, in replacement of Daniel Arroyo, who resigned to focus on his campaign to the Argentine Chamber of Deputies in the 2021 legislative election.[8] [9] Zabaleta was one of two ministerial replacements ahead of the 2021 election, alongside Jorge Taiana, who replaced Agustín Rossi as Minister of Defense.[10]
In October 2022, he resigned from the position, citing his wish to return to Hurlingham as mayor. Having taken a leave of absence, he returned to the mayorship.[11] He was succeeded as minister by Victoria Tolosa Paz.[12]
Zabaleta lives in Hurlingham and is married to Carolina Olzagasti. He has six children.[13]