There are 24 laws blocked in the Legislature in the midst of the judicial crisis

The Chamber of Deputies has 24 frozen bills. Since March there has been no meeting nor debate because legal actions against the replacement of magistrates qwho chose to extend their positions indefinitely, or until their replacements are elected.

In the last 60 days, the chamber leadership launched several calls, but he had to put them on hold due to the lack of agreement on the agenda. The legislators who support the Government’s agenda ask to unblock the agenda, but the other political forces ask that the extended magistrates leave their positions and, within that framework, recover the political initiative.

Among the bills that are stalled is an international issue that, according to specialists, compromises the faith of the State: Bolivia’s adherence to Mercosur.

The deputies of the opposition and the MAS faction who promotes Evo’s return to power, blames the “judicial strategy” that the Government for governor would be applying on the basis of rulings and not political agreements.

The opposition forces, the evismo and the Government’s allies agreed on an agreement on February 2 to unblock the judicial elections that, Already in 2023, it was annulled at the mercy of rulings issued from the Constitutional Court.

A few days later a law was validated, but projects 073 and 075, which establish the end of police functions, were set aside or relegated from the police agenda. the 26 magistrates of the Judicial Branch, but especially of the Plurinational Constitutional Court (TCP).

In the group of blocked regulations are international loans for more than $700 million, a figure that is increasing because this week the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) approved a fund of $us 250 million for natural disasters. The Government cannot use them without approval from the Legislature.

According to the agenda of the Chamber of Deputies this week there were 27 points to be discussed, but there was not even a call for a session by the presidency led by Israel Huaytari. The legislator argued that in his directive he does not have a necessary quorum.

Among the 24 bills is project 035 “modifying the Pension Law”; project 028 that authorizes Yacimientos Petrolófilos Fiscales Bolivianos- YPFB to sign the oil services contract for the exploration and exploitation in areas reserved in favor of YPFB corresponding to the Tita Techi” area of ​​Santa Cruz, with the company Canacol Energy Colombia SA.

Bills 301, 312, 348, and 377 are international loan contracts, two from the IDB and two from CAF-development bank of Latin America and the Caribbean to execute road construction projects in Potosí and Santa Cruz and another two for the cities of Sucre (Chuquisaca) and La Paz. These four projects are for $us 331 million.

Other projects are also pending, such as that “that incorporates consular assistance into the Bolivian Code of Criminal Procedure”; project 192 “which elevates Decree 241 of August 5, 2008 to the rank of law”. This decree regulates “the characteristics and use of the tricolor Flag, the Bolivian Anthem, the Coat of Arms, the Wiphala, the Cockade, the Kantuta Flower and the Patujú flower”, all of these as national symbols.

Bill 055 “registration of family assistance debtors”; project 199 “which approves a mining administrative contract signed by the Regional Directorate of Potosí – Chuquisaca of the Mining Jurisdictional Authority, with the Public Productive Company of Cementos of Bolivia – Ecebol.”

Another pending project is 010 “to incorporate the criminal offense of incestuous rape, elimination of statutory rape and recognition of lack of consent as a constitutive element of the crime to guarantee access to justice”; 157 “which authorizes INRA to convert the classification from small agricultural property to medium or business property.”

The project “My home, my heritage” also appears; 076 “pumping financing and treatment of acid water from the San José de Oruro mine.”

Three projects for the transfer of property and land, departmental delimitations and limits, declarations of national heritage, and priorities are on the list. national to regional productive chains and declarations of regional holidays.

But that’s not all, the agenda of the Chamber of Deputies must also form the Ethics Commissionthe departmental brigades 2023 – 2024 and the election of members of the Beni Departmental Electoral Tribunal.

The second vice president of the Chamber of Deputies, Luisa Nayar of the Citizen Community (CC), indicated in total there are 100 bills that are not considered or put on the agenda, all because of the conflict around the Judicial Branch.

“There are other bills that should be submitted, but they do not leave the General Secretariat and are not made known to the full board. There would be more than 100 bills that should already be being discussed,”Nayar stated to EL DEBER.

The main projects that are not on the agenda and that, according to CC, should be considered are 075 and 073. The opposition insists that before addressing the other pending issues judicial bills must be approved.

The president of the Chamber of Deputies, Israel Huaytari, and the Arcista bench insist that these projects will be discussed in the legislative session, and they also describe them as “unconstitutional.”

The president of Deputies Israel Huautary argued that, for example, this week he did not call a chamber session because his board does not have sufficient quorum to direct the session because two deputies are on regional week and one is on medical leave.

“The presidency of the Chamber of Deputies is concerned about the approval of the Bolivian Accession Billto Mercosur and the other that Chuquisaca is waiting for, the Urban Corridor project that has an investment of $43 million,” he stated.

Huaytari did not mention projects 073 and 075, which appear as the factor that prevents political agreements in the Legislature.

Regarding the requests for resignation due to the complaints against him for alleged corruption, Huaytari practically ruled out his departure since that would imply that the opposition, In this case CC presides over the chamber session once a month.

“If I resigned, the (first) Vice Presidency would rise, and the Citizen Community would be assuming the First Vice Presidency.” And where this is pointing, it is very dangerous, right? The presidency will take office for only three weeks, the fourth is regional. In this case they are saying that one from the Citizen Community could lead (the session) for a week. Would we agree? That’s what they’re aiming for, right? it’s complicated. Knowing that we have come here,” said Huaytari.

The legislator admits that the scenario in the Chamber of Deputies is complex, more so due to the internal struggles in his party, but is committed to reaching agreements through dialogue.