The Supreme Court of Justice, through its Constitutional Chamber, decided to process the action filed by the lawyer Daniel Mendonca, on behalf of Horacio Cartes against resolution 2102 of June 28, 2018, “By which Rodolfo is summoned Max Friedmann to take the oath and exercise the position of Senator of the Nation”, dictated by the then president of the Chamber of Senators, Fernando Lugo.
The action was filed four years ago. A month after his presentation, in the face of a wave of criticism, Cartes himself stated that he was no longer interested in being an active senator for a matter of “dignity.” From the Court, they allege that the inhibitions delayed the decision to process the request or not in all these years. Antonio Fretes, Miryam Peña, Gladys Bareiro, Sindulfo Blanco, César Garay, Eugenio Jiménez, Alberto Martínez Simón and Luis Benítez Riera were some of the magistrates who refused to speak.
Salyn Buzarquis, a national senator for the Liberal Party (PLRA), stated that years ago, Horacio Cartes had already stated that he had no interest in being a senator. But now, he shows that he wants to be again. “He is afraid of an extradition request that may come from the United States, he wants to be a senator to be able to shield himself,” he said. Buzarquis is convinced that the Upper House will not give him the oath because the decision of the Senate at the time was to reject it. “He does not correspond for violating the National Constitution,” he stressed.
Desirée Masi, a national senator for the Progressive Democratic Party (PDP), affirmed for her part that they will not provide the necessary quorum, in case the Supreme Court of Justice (SCJ) grants Cartes’ request to be an active senator. “No one can prevent us from meeting and no one can force us to meet. This has already happened with Nicanor Duarte Frutos, and there was never a quorum, we are not going to give a quorum,” she warned.
