Impeachment Piera starts with 13 hour-long filibuster

[Judi Lynn]

8 November, 2021

Chile’s Lower House has begun the constitutional accusation proceedings against President Sebastian Piñera, precipitated by the revelations in the Pandora Papers. The discussions have been dominated by controversy over the opposition attempting to use the “Lazarus law” to extend the vote. These proceedings signal an ignominious end to a turbulent and unpopular second term in office for Piñera.

On Monday, Nov. 8, Chile’s Lower House of Congress began its second impeachment proceedings against President Sebastian Piñera, with Representative Jaime Naranjo reading the entire constitutional accusation against Piñera. The constitutional accusation was filed by 16 representatives of the opposition party at the beginning of October in response to Piñera being linked to the Pandora Papers. Piñera is the first Chilean president to be constitutionally accused multiple times in a single term.

Due to circumstances relating to COVID-19 and quarantines, the opposition is using the “Lazarus law” to ensure it has the 78 votes needed to send the constitutional accusation on to the Senate. Gabriel Boric, presidential candidate for the Apruebo Dignidad coalition, had to quarantine after testing positive for COVID on Nov .3.One of his key supporters, Representative Giorgio Jackson, and other representatives, had to enter preventive quarantine, due to having close contact with Boric, but that obligatory quarantine ends Tuesday, Nov. 9.

As a result, the opposition representatives invoked the “Lazarus law,” which is a means of extending the vote until Tuesday using a filibuster, thereby enabling Jackson to give the opposition the votes needed to approve the constitutional accusation. Socialist Party member Jaime Naranjo is therefore attempting to delay the vote until Tuesday by reading the entire 1,300 page accusation against Piñera.

More:
https://chiletoday.cl/impeachment-pinera-starts-with-13-hour-long-filibuster/

[Judi Lynn]

1. Chilean president Pinera impeached over Pandora papers revelations

Lower house approval vote sets up trial in Chile’s senate

Papers revealed offshore dealings of conservative president

Sebastián Piñera in October. The leaked documents revealed new details of a controversial deal to sell the family’s stake in the Dominga mining project.

Associated Press in Santiago
Tue 9 Nov 2021 12.46 EST

Chile’s President Sebastián Piñera has been impeached by the lower house of congress, setting up a trial in the nation’s senate over allegations he favored the sale of a family property while in office.

The vote to impeach passed with the bare minimum of 78 votes needed in the 155-member chamber of deputies, and followed a marathon 20-hour session. Sixty-seven legislators voted against impeachment, including several members of the opposition. Others abstained or were absent.

Piñera is unlikely to be removed by the 43-member upper house, where the opposition has only 24 of the 29 votes needed to oust a president.

But the trial will come in the heat of a general election campaign. The first round of general elections is set for 21 November and Piñera’s term ends on 11 March. Chile does not permit presidential re-election to consecutive terms.

More:
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/nov/09/chilean-president-sebastian-pinera-impeached