Celeste Amarilla, current deputy for the PLRA and pre-candidate for the Senate for the Concertación, gave an overview of what could happen with the Concertación and the upcoming elections. She stated that Efraín Alegre, one of the PLRA’s presidential candidates, has around 800,000 votes, so he should head the next presidential ticket.
She also pointed out that although they have no evidence, she is sure that briefcases are distributed in Parliament in exchange for votes.
Your postures, what generate more? Feelings for or against?
It seems to me that in favor because I was surprised by the results of some polls that were done for the Senate and I did not expect to be so high in the polls. (According to these surveys, Amarilla is in the number two place, behind Fernando Lugo).
She was saved several times from being expelled from the Chamber of Deputies…
I did nothing to save myself, those who wanted to save me saved me. I was suspended, then I was twice close to being unjustly applied for the loss of investiture. However, we still have drug traffickers sitting there. processed people. Some asked permission to go to prison. That doesn’t even happen in Haiti and sorry Haiti.
Why can’t these forces be against you?
In my case it did not correspond (the loss of investiture). The times that they want to take me out is when I am making use of the only immunity we have, which is to speak. And they sue me for it. What they don’t understand is them. The Constitution says it can only be for improper use of influence. I never used my influences, what I used are my words, which is what I have immunity for. Had that been committed, it would have been disastrous jurisprudence. It would have meant closing Parliament and going home.
This quality of parliamentary representation leaves much to be desired at times…
The quality is very low. In fact, the quality has gone down. Direct voting has not been good. I was one of the main defenders of direct voting and I will continue to be because it is the tool and everyone’s right to elect their authorities.
Voting for their equals implies a citizenry that is not prepared…
The Paraguayan people are victims of the mediocrity that we have. Of the bad education that they have given us. And of the bad example that 50 to 60 years of dictatorship have given us. All Paraguayan men and women are victims of unscrupulous governments that have only taken care of filling their pockets and have left us all with a mediocre education, which is what I also have, that is why we vote for the same and they are not the best .
You have faced powerful groups within the Lower House, why did they take on you in particular?
If they took me. If I had to choose my enemy, it would not be “Bachi” Núñez. If I had to choose someone to argue with, it wouldn’t be “Bachi” Núñez. Someone who doesn’t have the height to argue with me. I am ashamed that he is my contender. I don’t want to argue with him because I’m giving him a place that he didn’t earn. Obviously he is one of the best they have, or the most cheeky because every time I speak he is the one who answers. The other members of Chartism never respond. In Añetete, the one who always answers me is Roberto González.
What is happening in the Liberal Party?
I would like the PLRA to be number one, but that was not what was agreed upon. I would like our candidate to be number one for everything we always say, that we are the largest party, with the most history and the most structure. But that was not agreed upon, the agreement was to go to some internships at that table of opposition parties.
Is it a democratic maturity?
Of course yes. And I think we are offering very good candidates. My candidate is Efraín Alegre. But I’m not ruling out any of the others. We have a range of great candidates. all good because they are good and patriotic. We don’t have anyone who took a wrong step in life. We open the lists. The closed lists where you had Zulma Gómez or the ANR had a well-hidden “Bachi” Núñez and they put Evanhy in first place are no longer voted on. Now citizens can choose. We also open the registry, we have even more democratic tools.
What is the problem between Blas Llano and Efraín Alegre?
Maybe it started as a personal problem that I don’t know about, because several times I told both of them that they had to fix themselves, etc. With the behavior of the Llano movement, that personal bitterness was transformed into a very difficult political issue to overcome. They have a different way of doing politics. In the Chamber of Deputies we lost important opportunities because the Liberals of the Llano group voted with Chartism. We ourselves no longer want them united with us.
The difference with the ANR is that good guys are not fighting against bad guys there, but more bad guys are fighting against less bad guys. In our case we have a group that decided to sell out for money or friendship or sympathy to go over to Chartism when we are an opposition party. They began to respond to orders from Chartism. The other sector does not agree with Cartes or with Marito.
Today the Efraín group is in the majority, although this is not reflected in the directory.
How many votes could Efraín generate?
It should take about 800 thousand votes. For me it is clear that Efraín should lead the presidential badge. But it is not what was resolved so it will go to the internal ones.
What is missing from the Senate?
He needs to use the power of the Senate to get into more serious trouble than just passing a law. For example, the Bicameral Commission and it could do much more. The Senate should promote many more investigations and complaints and not keep the merely legislative. Although the only thing I promised to be a deputy was that the laws should be few, clear and tough and enforceable. I don’t like the legislative system where there are laws, regulations, decrees, it’s a disaster, I don’t like it at all. I decided to denounce everything that happens there, which is generally unknown.
Are briefcases distributed in the Lower House?
It’s true. But I don’t have the proof, I didn’t see, they don’t distribute in front of me and they don’t offer me either. But it is true because they say so.
