Opción Democrática deputy Jose Horacio Rodríguez explained on El Dia with Edith Febles that the “yes” vote of two thirds of the Chamber of Deputies is needed for the impeachment process of the five members of the Chamber of Accounts to start. The Chamber of Accounts is the government entity in charge of auditing government. An impasse between the five members has stagnated work at the entity. The work of the Chamber of Accounts is crucial to the cases of combatting corruption that are underway in the judiciary.
Rodriguez says for the impeachment to happen the Chamber of Deputies needs to present to the plenary the accusations, and then 127 of the deputies need to vote “yes”. Rodriguez is doubtful this will happen because it is rare for there to be 127 persons at one time in any given session. He says intense lobbying will need to occur to get the consensus to vote in favor of removing the members of the Chamber of Accounts. No party alone has enough votes to reach the 127 members.
Rodríguez explained that while the deputies worked for a month and a half on investigating the accusations of serious fault in the exercise of their roles by the five members of the Chamber of Accounts, more time was needed. But he aid Rogelio Genao Lanza, who presided the committee, called the vote and of the 17 members, only 11 were present and of these 9 voted in favor.
Rodríguez said: “Clearly there is the intention among the ruling Modern Revolutionary Party (PRM) members and its allies to replace them [the five members of the Chambrer of Accounts],” said Rodriguez. Reportedly, the votes in favor votes were from members of the ruling party and allies. Rodriguez said during the El Dia TV interview that the position of the opposition parties is not clear. He said several of these legislators understand the problems leading to the impasse can be corrected with certain changes and requests for people to adhere to rules.
Rodríguez says one of the problems is that there is no rule on what “serious faults” are. He said it is but subjective criteria. He said there were many inadequate management of situations, but he says evidence was not found yet on what he understands would be sufficient to remove the five members. That was why he felt more time was needed.
He said he understand a serious fault would be the adulterating of an audit, for example. He said one of the irregularities was a session of the plenary in July 2022 that was denounced by Chamber of Accounts president Janel Ramirez. Rodriguez says they watched the video of the session and how when Ramirez and fellow member Mario Fernandez closed the session, it was reopened by the three remaining members – and a vote was taken. Rodríguez says this decision could be contested in the Superior Administrative Court (TSA) and revoked. But he said that situation is not enough to remove the five judges.
Rodriguez explained the Chamber of Deputies is meting on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. The report of the committee would need to be submitted and then a vote taken.
“I do not see clear the scenario. Need to be careful to decide on impeachment, that this be not for political reasons, but rather for serious faults. There is a claim that the faults be individualized to not set precedents for future,” he said on the El Dia morning talk show.
Furthermore, he remarked: “We cannot have a chamber of accounts where everyone thinks the same. It is healthy that there be differences so they can play their role. That there not has been unanimity in their decisions, is not a reason to impeach them.”
Meanwhile, the highly respected Centro Juan XXIII issued a note on 26 June 2023 in Twitter siding with Chamber of Accounts members Janel Ramirez and Mario Fernandez in the conflict and urging actions be taken for the collective good of the country.
Read more in Spanish:
Hoy
El Dia TV with Edith Febles — 1:15 minutes
El Dia
Hoy
Centro Juan XXIII
27 June 2023