Uruguay
Uruguayan opposition questions the governing party over closing off changes in the Accountability Bill
White and Colorado senators are preparing criticism of the Broad Front over its decision to keep the text approved in the Chamber of Deputies unchanged. The governing party says the opposition proposals would mean higher spending without funding.
The debate over the Accountability Bill added a new source of tension in the Uruguayan Senate. According to Búsqueda, the opposition is preparing to question the Broad Front for deciding that the bill be put to a vote without changes from the version approved in the Chamber of Deputies.
The governing majority in the Senate, where it holds 17 of 31 votes, is seeking to avoid changes to the text that emerged from the lower house. In this way, it also closes off the possibility that the bill would have to return to the Chamber of Deputies for a new review.
According to Búsqueda, there were strong criticisms of that stance within the Colorado Party. Robert Silva said the governing party is once again showing a “lack of skill” to govern, while Tabaré Viera said the decision was very poorly received. Pedro Bordaberry, for his part, stressed that several ministers acknowledged errors or constitutional issues in some articles, but even so they are not being corrected.
There were also criticisms in the National Party. Graciela Bianchi considered it a lack of respect for the Senate and said the chamber had been turned into a “government notary office,” always according to Búsqueda. Rodrigo Blás joked that the Broad Front listens but does not hear, and Carlos Camy said the governing party’s position was not expected and, in his view, contradicts parliamentary tradition.
From the governing party, Daniel Caggiani defended the current wording and said at a press conference that it allows focus on the four pillars set out by the government: childhood, security, education and care for people living on the streets. He also questioned the opposition’s additions and substitutes, arguing that they imply higher spending without explaining how it would be financed, and recalled that the opposition coalition had already refused to vote on the bill in general.
Búsqueda added that, according to parliamentary sources, the opposition believes the Broad Front avoided changes so as not to jeopardize the support of Cabildo Abierto, which was key to the half approval obtained at the end of August in the Chamber of Deputies, where the governing party does not have a majority.
Among the changes the opposition sought to include, Silva mentioned funding for the National Milk Institute, measures linked to the competitiveness of border trade and resources for specialized courts in gender violence. Bordaberry also questioned provisions on transfers from the Ministry of Social Development and warned about a “notorious constitutionality” in an article referring to the authorities of the National Rehabilitation Institute.
In addition, Bordaberry took aim at the government’s growth projections, which it placed at 1.6%, and Viera said they are not willing to endorse those figures. According to the schedule cited by Búsqueda, the bill will be approved on Friday in committee and then will be considered by the Senate starting Monday the 21st, in a debate that could extend until Wednesday.
Several opposition lawmakers also warned that this dispute could affect the political climate for the rest of the legislative term. Sergio Botana said the precedent is not a good one and Bianchi expressed concern that this criterion could be maintained in future accountability bills and other measures.
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.
