In an eventful session of Deputies, Carlos María López (Liberal Party, Cordillera), was elected president of the Lower House with 48 votes in favor, two abstentions and 30 absentees. López was the candidate of the opposition parties and the Colorado ruling party.
The term of office will run from July 1, 2022 to June 30, 2023.
Pastor Vera Bejarano, Deputy of the PLRA bench “C”, whose leader is former Senator Dionisio Amarilla, affirmed that he was one of the candidates together with López for the position. But he decided to decline from his aspirations. It is worth mentioning that Carlos María López is the only liberal deputy who does not have a bench since he is independent.
“I ask for a transparent administration that serves the citizenry in a political year. Let’s assume a patriotic commitment. You have to know how to win, from assuming the presidency that the management be democratic, transparent and institutional”, he commented.
Ángel Paniagua, Deputy for the Central Department, was elected first vice president. With 49 votes, one blank and 30 absent.
While Norma Camacho, Deputy for the Encuentro Nacional party (PEN), was elected as second vice president. She was elected with 48 votes in her favor. Rocío Vallejo, Deputy for the PPQ, highlighted that a woman will occupy the board of directors for the first time.
“Those of us who share with her in the sessions know that she always contributes her knowledge,” he stressed.
Pastor Vera Bejarano, in turn, stressed that Camacho’s presence on the board of directors will provide the necessary plurality and, in turn, will guarantee transparency.
YELLOW
During the initial debate, Celeste Amarilla, Deputy for the PLRA, denounced that she received threats at midnight. Specifically, she denounced that a man threatened her with publishing harmful audio produced before her time as a legislator. She pointed to Cristian Amarilla of the National Anti-Drug Secretariat (Senad), of carrying out the illegal wiretapping.
“Mr. Horacio Cartes can buy all of Senad, he can buy Amarilla, which is surely very cheap, but I am not going to shut up. You are a mobster, a drug trafficker, a cigarette smuggler, ”he shot.
TIMELINE OF INCIDENTS
- 09:00. The extraordinary session was to start, however, due to the lack of a quorum, a 30-minute wait was made.
- 09:30. Pedro Alliana, president of the Chamber of Deputies, called off the session due to the lack of the necessary number of people present. However, he announces it via note and not before the plenary session, a fact that is questioned by opposition legislators.
- 09:34. The parliamentary secretary general Carlos Samudio did not appear before the plenary for the start or the call of the session. “Bachi” Núñez enters several times to confirm with a piece of paper that the number of people present did not exist.
- 09:37. “Bachi Núñez” shouts with Sebastián Villarejo. He accuses him “of selling out to Hugo Velázquez.” While Villarejo replies that “they must learn to lose.”
- 09:38. Celeste Amarilla denounces that Samudio was locked up by Bachi Núñez and Pedro Alliana. While Ángel Paniagua, pro-government deputy, announces that the session will take place since there is the necessary quorum (41 legislators).
- 09:42. Samudio arrives at the session. But he alleges that he was working with Pedro Alliana and not locked up against his will as several legislators denounced.
- 09:46. Bachi Núñez accuses Colym Soroka of “running over” Pedro Alliana. He also accuses him of robbing the entire country. Soroka accuses him of being arrogant and wanting to violate the statutes. The incident almost ended in blows.
- 09:50. Kattya González accuses Alliana of not adjourning the session before the plenary as required by the internal regulations of the Lower House.
- 09:51. Ángel Paniagua, vice president of the board of directors asks the journalists to leave the room to start the extraordinary session.
