National Deputy of the Civic Radical Union, Karina Banfi, questioned the Government's proposal to eliminate public funding for electoral campaigns and to raise the limits for private contributions. Although the legislator did not comment on the elimination of the PASO, which is the most debated point of the Government's Electoral Strengthening bill, she did share her views on another controversial aspect of the proposed reform.
"Public funds are the most traceable," Banfi stated, adding that "with private funds, exchanges, bribes, and extortions appear." She emphasized the importance of making both public and private funds used in electoral campaigns traceable throughout the process and subject to control to detect possible irregularities.
The deputy highlighted the transparency of public funds in contrast to the corruption risks associated with private funds, citing as an example the 'corruption notebooks' case, where private contributions to campaigns were used as an excuse to cover up illegal exchanges.
Banfi warned about the risk that the privatization of electoral campaigns could open the door to the entry of drug trafficking and organized crime into politics, pointing out that the penetration of these sectors occurs through money laundering in the private sphere.
In this regard, the deputy stressed that any reform in campaign financing must focus on controls and traceability of contributions, to avoid possible situations that could be more detrimental. "Be careful not to pass the chainsaw in the wrong place and end up making it all cost more," concluded the opposition parliamentarian.
