The Senate of Chile did not get the votes needed to impeach Sebastian Pinera

Published:

16 November 2021 23:59 GMT

The debate in the legislature continued until Tuesday night. However, the opposition did not collect the 29 votes needed to recognize the constitutional charge.

The Chilean Senate on Tuesday rejected the removal of President Sebastian Pinera during his second term, ending 14 weeks.

The removal of the head of state required 29 votes in favor, but despite the (local) debate at 09:00 pm, the opposition benches did not get the support they needed to implement the constitutional charge. Continuing Assembly.

The Liberal Democratic Union (UDI) senator Luz Eliana Ebensperger, after expressing his rejection during the parliamentary session, will not be able to collect the 29 seats with only 17 votes in favor of the opposition in the absence of eleven votes. Members of the Legislature.

“It is incomprehensible that Pinora is being saved again from this accusation. Senator Maria Loreto Carvajal of the Democratic Party (PPD) said in her speech. “We do not have the guts to blame him constitutionally,” he admitted.

For his part, Senator Jose Miguel Insulza of the Socialist Party (PS) pointed out that he wanted to hold a constitutional charge at another time. “It is very clear that 29 votes will not go to one,” he said.

During a press conference in Las Vegas, the president faced constitutional charges for businesses allegedly involved in tax havens. Pandora Papers.

Earlier, on November 9, the Chamber of Delegates Approved Trial in long and controversial session and Only the required 78 votes The process will progress and reach the Senate.

If the dismissal were in favor, the constitution would have established an interim government led by Interior Minister Rodrigo Delcado until Congress elects a new president with an absolute majority.

According to Pablo Joffrey Leal, an international journalist and analyst, the constitutional charge against Pinara is based on “ethics, transparency, influence and the inappropriate and illegal use of his position as president or former senator. Profit on your public work.”

In that regard, Leal revealed in an interview with RT that the Chilean Attorney’s Office’s open investigation against Pinora should “continue”, regardless of the failed criminal investigation in the Senate.

“A reason for the ruling party has already been known and tried, but many new elements have emerged, which indicates that a lot of information has been withheld and that the judges need to take this investigation to the final outcome. His presidential decree, who was former President Sebastian Pinara at the time,” he added. Said.

Two attempts failed

Pinora Thus coming out without escaping the second political trial With just five days to go before the presidential election in Chile, he is about to begin his second term.

The previous process took place in November 2019, when the opposition launched a constitutional charge against the president for human rights abuses committed while suppressing protests within the framework of the social explosion.

According to the Pandora Papers, Pinara is accused of selling Minora Domingo’s property during a transaction in the territory of the British Virgin Islands, a tax haven, during his first presidency between 2010 and 2014.