The Senator of the National Party, Gustavo Penadeshas asked the president of the Senate, Beatriz Argimón, to lift his parliamentary immunity in case he is called to appear by the 6th shift prosecutor for Sexual Offenses, Alicia Ghione, who is investigating accusations of sexual abuse and pedophilia carried out by the white militant, Romina Celeste.
In a letter sent to the president of the Senate, the legislator states that he will not oppose the request to lift parliamentary privileges if the Judiciary requests it, and ensures that he will fully cooperate with the investigation. It should be noted that Ghione analyzes a flash drive that the Court prosecutor, Juan Gómez, sent to the Prosecutor’s Office to investigate the accusations made against the senator on Twitter ex officio.
On Wednesday, March 29, Penadés publicly denied the accusations and announced that he will sue those who accuse him of committing sexual crimes. Now, prosecutor Ghione and her team will investigate the material received to determine if Penadés committed the crime of retribution or promise of retribution to minors so that they execute sexual acts or erotic, which is punishable by law 17,815 with two to twelve years in prison.
The request for the lifting of parliamentary privileges by the senator shows his willingness to collaborate with Justice and is an unprecedented event in the country’s political history. Now it is up to the Justice to determine if there is enough evidence to proceed with a formal accusation against him.
How the impeachment of Penadés or any other senator is voted
The impeachment implies the elimination of parliamentary jurisdiction, which means that a senator can be tried like any other citizen, without having the legal protection that parliamentary jurisdiction offers.
The process begins when a prosecutor files a request for impeachment to the Chamber of Senators, which must be supported by a simple majority of the members present at the session. If approved, a special commission is appointed to investigate the case and present a report to the Chamber.
The commission is made up of five senators and has a period of 60 days to present its report. During that time, hearings are held and evidence is collected to determine whether or not there is merit for the removal.
Once the commission presents its report, the Chamber of Senators must decide whether to accept or reject the report and, consequently, whether to impeach the senator. For the impeachment to be approved, a majority of two-thirds of the House votes is needed.
Impeachment does not necessarily imply that the senator is guilty of the crime for which he is charged, but simply removes the protection of parliamentary jurisdiction and allows him to be tried like any other citizen. It is important to note that the impeachment is a legal process that respects the rights of the senator in question. and ensures a fair and just trial.
