A photo of Alfredo Sánchez – the former mayor of Florencio Sánchez sentenced in 2021 to two years of effective prison and one year of supervised release for the crimes of criminal association, concussion and fraud – in a list of the National Party registered for the Internal Elections was cause of debate in the last Ordinary Session of the Departmental Board, according to the press report by councilor Gabriel Gabbiani (Colorado Party).
This is List 322, which is presented under the Sub Motto “Florentinos Unidos” and supports the pre-candidate for mayor Guillermo Rodríguez, proposed by the current communal chief, Carlos Moreira. It is headed by the former mayor’s nephew, Guillermo Sánchez, but his uncle does not appear as a candidate. It has already been approved by the Cologne Electoral Board.
Sánchez, along with nine other people, including his son (departmental councilor), his daughter (councilman) and his daughter-in-law, was arrested during “Operation Corruptio”, after a complaint dating back to 2018, and through an abbreviated process he was also convicted. to the payment of a fine of 200 UR and to special disqualification for two years from the exercise of public office.
Problem of whites and their voters
“Sanchez’s situation was resolved in court. On the other hand, the Departmental Board of Colonia established an Investigative Commission, which I was a member of, which presented three reports confirming serious irregularities and crimes against the administration. The Board voted to subject Sánchez to impeachment, the Senate filed said complaint in May 2022 and unfiled it in June of that year, after the Colorado Party explained the situation to our senators. Sánchez presented an appeal of unconstitutionality that the Supreme Court of Justice (SCJ) dismissed and at the request of his defense Sánchez resigned in March 2023 and deactivated the impeachment trial, despite which the Senate in April unanimously approved the dismissals of the former mayor and his son, the former councilor, when they were no longer officials,” explained the departmental councilor Gabriel Gabbiani (P. Colorado – CRECE – Ciudadanos).
“Now, the Departmental Board is a legislative body. It is not an electoral body to decide whether you can join a list or not; For this there are the Electoral Court and the Electoral Board of Cologne, which define the qualification or disqualification according to the judicial ruling,” explained Gabbiani.
“Nor is the League Against Immorality to decide whether or not the photo of this or that person can be included in a list, or whether it is ethical to do so or not,” he added.
“It is clear that there were serious crimes committed by the former mayor. As emerged from the Investigator, he handled himself arbitrarily, delivering baskets in exchange for votes, carrying out work for personal benefit with public resources, paying for works that were not done, improperly authorizing the return of motorcycles seized by political order, and more. But that has already been settled by the Justice and the Departmental Board.
Now it is an internal situation for the whites. Although Sánchez was separated from the National Party, if it accepts him again, or if he should have challenged or requested the withdrawal of the list that has his image, it is their business,” he assured.
“I don’t think that a photo of Sánchez can mislead the voter. The people, and more from that town, know the truth, are informed and are not stupid. Whether or not you are inclined to vote for that list, you will have your reasons, but the Departmental Board has nothing to do,” he stated.
“What is clear is that, surely, if this situation had arisen with a representative of the Colorado Party, we would have acted and prevented him from using the name of our community, because it would do him a disservice. But not all of us think and act the same,” concluded Gabbiani.
Responsible for the report Viviana Schenck (Gabbiani’s secretary)
