The Special Committee of the Chamber of Deputies assigned to review the 419-article Penal Code project has proposed amendments to articles 14, 20, 24, 73, 86, 87, 89, 109, 111, 113, 123, 127, 130, 132, 133, 135, 136, and 139, as well as articles 140, 161, 220, 288, 289, 290, 295, 302, and 328.
Alexis Jiménez, the chairman of the Special Committee, during his appearance at the Weekly Lunch hosted by Grupo de Comunicaciones Corripio, shared the information. Jimenez explained the committee did not present a concluding report. Nevertheless, he defended the bill describing it as a modern Penal Code.
The Chamber of Deputies had sought to pass the bill as received from the Senate. The president of the Chamber of Deputies, Alfredo Pacheco (PRM-National District) had highlighted that it was a giant leap from the previous code. The advocates of the Senate bill said that around 70 articles were added to combat crime.
Widespread opposition to articles that were included recently in the Penal Code to favor the military, the church and were ambiguous in the combatting of corruption. Detractors have also pointed to the numerous violations of women’s and children’s rights in the Senate bill. Public opinion, and the adverse opinion of government officials in the Police, Public Ministry, Ministry of Women, First Lady’s Office, to even the President’s Office, led to a stop to the fast-tracking of the bill. Several detractors said the bill was a major setback regarding advances made in the country.
The Chamber of Deputies ended its sessions on 26 July 2024. The new legislators, who will take their oaths on 16 August and will now be responsible for continuing the review of this bill or any other on the matter that may be submitted in the new legislature.
The Chamber of Deputies will now need to appoint new members to the special committee as several of the members will no longer continue in the Chamber as of 16 August. Those leaving include deputies Alexis Jimenez, Rafaela Alburquerque de González, Máximo Castro Silverio, José Horacio Rodríguez, Rosa Hilda Genao Díaz, Ysabel de la Cruz Javier, Servia Familia Echavarría, Saury Antonio Mota Ramírez, and Fior Daliza Peguero.
Alexis Jiménez, who presided the review committee, emphasized the importance of public awareness and engagement with the text, highlighting its benefits for society as a whole.
An editorial in El Dia on 1 August 2024, highlights that despite all the hours the deputies spent on reviewing the Penal Code, including several days of sessions in beach resorts, it does not advance and continues to be rife with ambiguities and violations of other laws and rights. The editorial says the main reason seems to be the political debts the legislators that reach the positions bring to the job.
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El Dia
1 August 2024