Peronism will seek to prevent the signing of the opinion tomorrow that would allow the libertarian Lorena Villaverde to be sworn in as a senator on November 28, following the challenge presented by the Justicialist Party (PJ) of Río Negro due to the alleged ties of the elected legislator to businessman Federico 'Fred' Machado, who is accused of drug trafficking.
The Committee on Constitutional Affairs, chaired by Alejandra Vigo, was convened for tomorrow at 11 a.m. to process the 24 credentials of the senators elected on October 26. Parliamentary sources told the Noticias Argentinas agency that as of this afternoon, only one challenge against Villaverde had been presented, meaning an opinion will be issued for the other 23 credentials.
The Committee on Constitutional Affairs has 19 members, 8 of whom belong to the PJ. However, the committee can still secure other votes against Villaverde, such as from the radical senator Pablo Blanco and the PRO legislator Guadalupe Tagliaferri.
If the committee issues an opinion rejecting Villaverde's credential, it will then be considered during the session on November 28, where the elected legislators will be sworn in.
The decision on whether Villaverde can be sworn in must be made by the elected senators and those who will continue their mandate after December 10.
According to the Senate's regulations, on November 29 of each renewal year, or the immediately preceding business day if it is a holiday, the body must meet to incorporate the elected legislators who have presented the credential issued by the competent authority and to rule on the credentials of the elected substitutes, except those that are challenged.
The challenge against Villaverde was filed by the PJ of Río Negro and is based on the 'moral, ethical, and constitutional disqualifications that affect the suitability of Mrs. Villaverde for the office of National Senator, which violate the electoral public order, the republican principles of representative democracy, and the suitability required by Article 16 of the National Constitution'.
'The grounds for the challenge are based on both ongoing judicial cases and prior convictions before the electoral vote, as well on judicial cases arising after the October 26 election, which inexorably constitute the grounds for absolute disqualifications for holding elective public offices,' the PJ stated in its filing.
The senators elected by La Libertad Avanza (LLA) are the porteños Patricia Bullrich and Agustín Monteverde; the neuquinos Nadia Márquez and Pablo Servi; the salteños Emilia Orozco and Gonzalo Guzmán; the fueguinos Agustín Tosco and Belén Montes de Oca; the enterrianos Joaquín Benegas Lynch and Romina Almeida; and the chaqueño Juan Carlos Godoy.
For peronism, a seat was won by the rionegrinos Martín Soria and Ana Inés Mark; the porteño Mariano Recalde; the entrerriano Adán Bahal; the fueguina Cristina López and José Neder, from Santiago del Estero.
Also elected were the santiagüenos Gerardo Zamora and Elia Esther del Carmen Moreno; the salteña Flavia Royon; the neuquina Julieta Carroza; and the radical chaqueña Silvina Schneider.
