Paraguay
Mario Varela called on the Government to show more empathy in addressing social conflicts
The dissident Colorado senator said the Executive Branch should speed up dialogue with teachers after the crisis with doctors. He also spoke about the ruling party’s internal tensions and ruled out that there is currently any formal move to impeach Supreme Court justices.
Dissident Colorado Senator Mario Varela argued that the Executive Branch, led by Santiago Peña, must better manage crises and act with greater empathy toward social demands, following the conflict with doctors that led to a G. 2,000,000 increase in the sector’s minimum salary.
According to ABC Color, Varela said the agreement with the doctors came after a more complex process than necessary and linked that situation to the departure of then Health Minister María Teresa Barán. In that context, he expressed his expectation that dialogue with teachers will be faster and more agile.
The lawmaker referred to the national strike announced by teachers for September 17 and 18, called to demand a budget addendum that would allow an 8% salary increase, according to what the unions maintain.
In another passage, Varela addressed rumors about possible political impeachments of Supreme Court justices. According to ABC Color, he stated that there is no formal proposal and also no necessary votes. He added that pushing such a measure for purely political reasons would be dangerous for the rule of law and the balance of powers.
Still according to that outlet, he mentioned that the names most often circulating in those versions are Víctor Ríos, Manuel Ramírez Candia and Gustavo Santander Dans, amid speculation linked to the meeting that members of the Court held with Peña in December last year.
Varela also said that the crisis within the ruling party is real and not a distraction tactic. To support that view, he cited the tensions acknowledged by Interior Minister Enrique Riera and considered that the call for unity made by Colorado governors reflects concern over the internal situation.
He also agreed with Silvio “Beto” Ovelar’s criticism of the governors over the power accumulated through the Hambre Cero funds. On the electoral impact of these differences, he said the Partido Colorado needs internal debate, but also moral cleansing, and noted that the governors’ link with Peña is due to the fact that the Executive Branch is the one making key decisions.
Finally, he stressed that, despite the internal conflict, the ANR retains political adaptability. In that context, he defended the validity of dissidence and said that the Government’s wear and tear opens space to build an electoral alternative.
Sources
About this note. 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.
