Prosecutor Alicia Ghione officially presented a request for the removal of senator Gustavo Penadés, representative of the National Party. This requirement arises after the legislator appeared before the Prosecutor’s Office last Thursday, in response to the accusations of sexual exploitation of minors against him. According to public information, eight victims have denounced the senator for abuse.
The Prosecutor’s Office has reported that Ghione formally submitted the request to the 36th Turn Court, which is in charge of Judge Marcela Vargas. It will be the responsibility of this judicial headquarters to send the request to the Supreme Court of Justice (SCJ).
Subsequently, the highest body of the Judiciary must transfer the request for impeachment to Parliament, where it will be initially dealt with by the Constitution and Legislation Commission. Once the corresponding report has been prepared, the commission will submit the request to the plenary session of the Senate.
For the impeachment to take place, the support of two thirds of the votes will be required. According to political sources consulted by Montevideo Portal, there would be the necessary support, since Penadés sent a letter to Vice President Beatriz Argimón at the beginning of April, requesting the approval of the measure in case the Prosecutor’s Office required it.
“I am writing to you with the honor to request that, given the circumstances of public knowledge, in the event that the Judiciary requests the removal of the parliamentary privileges associated with my investiture, it proceed immediately to process said request, anticipating that I will not present any form of opposition in this regard, “said Penadés in the document addressed to the president of the Chamber of Senators.
The fate of Gustavo Penadés is now in the hands of the judicial system and the legislative body. The impeachment process will require an exhaustive analysis and a vote that will determine the future of the senator, in the midst of a serious accusation that has generated a deep commotion in public opinion.
