Paraguay
Paraguayan Deputies Announce Changes to the Rules to Punish Repeated Absences
The leadership of the lower house said it will present the reform next week. According to ABC Color, the new rules would begin to apply after the municipal elections on October 4.
Authorities from the board of directors and caucus leaders of Paraguay’s Chamber of Deputies said they will present a reform of the internal rules next Wednesday aimed at addressing the lack of quorum caused by repeated absences, a situation that, according to ABC Color, has become routine in the lower house.
The president of Deputies, Raúl Latorre, said the proposal seeks to amend the rules related to attendance. He also said the goal is to tighten the system for justifying absences, which today allows lawmakers to report an absence even by phone and after the session has taken place.
According to ABC Color, among the measures under review is the possibility of applying salary deductions of between G. 300,000 and G. 600,000 to those who miss sessions, on monthly income of G. 37,900,000 for diet and representation expenses. Latorre, however, declined to specify publicly what sanctions will be included in the text.
According to that outlet, Latorre has been promising this change since August 11, but the intention is for the new provisions to take effect only after the municipal elections on October 4.
In the same vein, the vice president of the lower house, Hugo Meza, warned that the main challenge for the next session will be to secure a quorum. He said that, although 20 items have already been set on the agenda for Tuesday, it will be key to ensure lawmakers are present in a week marked by the holiday and the proximity of the elections.
Asked about the fact that the reform will begin to apply after the elections, Latorre denied that the delay is due to the electoral campaign. He said the campaign climate will continue beyond the municipal elections and stated that the electoral process, in practice, will extend until April 2028.
Sources
Sobre esta nota. Written by El Notero with assistance from artificial intelligence, based on what was published by the cited outlet. El Notero did not conduct its own reporting on this event.
