In a vote that broke initial forecasts, the Senate approved the names Natalia González and Bernardo Navarrete (DC) as councillors for Transparency (CPLT) for 32 votes in favor, 4 against and 4 abstentions,
While everything indicated that the Senate Chamber would reject the Government’s proposal, there was finally white smoke and the 2/3 quorum of the senators was more than reached for ratification, with votes from the DC and the PPD.
The butt stone was the figure of Natalia González, Director of Legal and Legislative Affairs of the Institute of Freedom and Development, think tank linked to the UDI, active defender of the option “Reject” in the constituent plebiscite and also close to Cristián Larroulet, head of the Second Floor of La Moneda.
The government was risking a new defeat in Congress, but that didn’t happen. Although in the Senate Constitution Commission, the proposal was rejected by 3 votes to 2, at the time of the vote in Sala they spoke against Alfonso de Urresti (PS) and Pedro Araya (independent), as well as in the Constitution Commission, in addition to DR Juan Ignacio Latorre and PS Rabindranath Quinteros.
By abstention, meanwhile, were socialists Carlos Montes, Alvaro Elizalde and Isabel Allende, and DC Francisco Huenchumilla, who had voted against it in the Constitution Commission.
Here was the vote:
During the debate, Senator UDI Ena von Baer came out in defense of Natalia González, and redstered the opposition’s stance. “This vote can mark a before and after in our democracy, these are the times when pluralism must be defended.” In the same vein, the senator of Evópoli, Felipe Kast, accused the opposition of “lowness” and of “wanting to veto Natalia González for her political position”.
“Let’s not tear garments, it’s not the first time this Senate has rejected nominations,” Senator Pedro Araya recalled, noting that the upper house is only fulfilling its power.
With this approval by the Senate, the CPLT completed its five advisors and maintains political balances: the political scientist Gloria de la Fuente (former Chile 21) as president, the lawyer Francisco Leturia, and now Natalia González y Navarrete (DC), who comes to replace former President Jorge Jaraquemada and resignation Marcelo Drago.
