July 29, 2024, 4:00 AM
July 29, 2024, 4:00 AM
The term of the Attorney General ends on October 9, Juan Lanchipa Ponce. Before that date, The Legislative Assembly must elect his successorbut no agreements are in sight. In fact, two bills have been approved – one in the House of Representatives and another in the Senate – to make this change.
However, without a transitional rule to regulate this choice, President Luis Arce can appoint a prosecutor until the incumbent is elected. Among legislators, the perception does not point to agreements due to the polarization that especially affects the ruling Movement Towards Socialism (MAS).
On the one hand, there is the project of 119/2023-2024 “Transitional Law for the selection and appointment of the State Attorney General”promoted in the Senate. It was approved in general and in detail at the beginning of July and has already been sent to the Chamber of Deputies. Froilán Mamani (MAS-arcista), president of the Justice Commission of the Chamber of Deputies, said that he sent that document in consultation with the Executive BranchThey will await return with observations.
The legislator said that the bill that is being worked on in the Chamber of Deputies was also sent to the Executive. It is about Validate budgetary aspects to carry out the election of the next prosecutor.
“We understand that the Senate, although there is a gap in the fact that they did not send it to a consultation that should be carried out through the regular channel, as soon as we receive the consultation and the bill approved by the Senate, we could see the way to merge, that is not ruled out,” Mamani said.
Asked about this situation, former prosecutor Joadel Bravo considered that this election aims to “get bogged down” as well as the election of magistratesThis process has been delayed for a year and the magistrates have been given an extension in their terms of office beyond the six years stipulated in the Constitution.
“Just as the Government extended the term of the authorities of the highest court (magistrates) of the country, the same will happen with the position of the prosecutor. If Arce does not have two thirds of the vote, he will not risk having an authority elected who is not in line with the Government,” said the specialist.
Minister Lima’s position
Justice Minister Iván Lima took the opportunity to blame the stalemate in the election of the Attorney General to the President of the Chamber of Deputies, Israel Huaytari and to the President of the Senate, Andrónico Rodríguez.
“It seems that they live thousands of miles away and not in the same building and that they do not coordinate between the two presidents. They have the job of coordinating the legislative work and not making these fools of themselves. It is a disgrace what happens in the Assembly,” he said in contact with EL DEBER.
The authority believed that by choosing the person who will be in charge of the prosecution of crimes against drug trafficking, corruption in the current scenario suggests that some people have pending accounts with justice. They do not want the new Attorney General of the State to be elected.
