Since January 2021, the Central Electoral Board (JCE), began preparations for the modification of laws 33-18 of Parties Groups and Political Movements and 15-19 Organic of Electoral Regime and completed the job by depositing in the National Congress these projects.
Although at first it was believed that it would be in the Economic and Social Council (ESC)where it would be possible to reach an agreement between the parties to create the report from which it would start to achieve the electoral reformthe plenary went ahead and delivered to Alfredo Pacheco and Eduardo Estrella the initiatives to modify the laws.
The initiative taken by the president of that electoral body to deposit these projects sparked great controversy among the political parties because within the electoral table that coordinates the ESC and where all the organizations are working together, a matrix is being developed that would result in a electoral reform.
While the parties visited in different commissions the headquarters of the JCE and of ESC In search of explanations about the actions of the electoral body and the future of the thematic table, in the Senate of the Republic preparations began for the study of the initiatives deposited by forming a special commission that will be in charge of studying them.
Although the request of Román Jáquez Liranzo, president of the JCEwas that these initiatives be studied in a bicameral commission, the president of the Senate, Eduardo Estrella, decided that the creation of a special one was ideal.
The special commission is headed by Senator Ricardo de los Santos and is made up of Senators Faride Raful; Dionis Sanchez; Aris Yvan Lorenzo; Antonio Taveras Guzman; Ramon Rogelio Genao; Felix Baptist; Melania Salvador; and Miltiades Franjul.
The visit of the mainly opposition parties to the ESC It was by way of complaint and where they expressed their concern about the future of the table to that body, for which they urged that the dialogue continue and that the meetings of said table be reestablished.
The leaders pointed out that the action of the JCE is “similar” to that of the Government because, as indicated by that high power of the State, it made the call for dialogue and before any consensus is reached at the tables, they deposit before the Legislative Power the billsleaving aside the discussions in the different thematic tables.
The response of ESC was to give the parties a “guarantee” that the work methodology would continue to be followed and that the dialogue would continue as stipulated.
“Issues will continue to be discussed, consensus and dissent will be sought,” was the response from Rafael Toribio, president of the ESCto the representatives of the various organizations that came in search of answers.
As with that agreement entity, the parties went to the JCE in search of an explanation from the members of the plenary about what motivated them to deposit the modification of the laws without first consulting with them.
For almost two hours the parties met with the members of the plenary session. The result of that meeting? It was agreed to streamline the work being carried out at the polling station to meet on April 26.
The president of the JCE He explained to the parties the importance that they have as well as that of the different sectors that make up the electoral table.
The relationship between political parties and the JCE it is a marriage of a close relationship and without divorce because the elections are not organized by themselves”, the president of the electoral body had expressed to the representatives of the political parties.
