“Estaba en un Congreso, estaba exponiendo en ese momento (del debate). Acá hubo un Congreso de Consenso Salud, han estado varios ministros. En la Sheraton Tower en Buenos Aires,” declaró Alejandro Aguinaga a La Pista Clave. El senador de Fuerza Popular salió del país rumbo a Argentina el martes 13 de octubre, según el certificado de la Superintendencia Nacional de Migraciones, coincidiendo con el debate en el Senado sobre el pedido de facultades legislativas del Ejecutivo.
Did You Know?
Certificados de la Superintendencia Nacional de Migraciones muestran que el viaje a Argentina realizado el martes 13 de octubre marca el tercer viaje al exterior del senador Alejandro Aguinaga en el año, tras haber viajado a Panamá en enero y a Estados Unidos en agosto.
Aguinaga defends travel during legislative powers debate
The departure of Alejandro Aguinaga to Buenos Aires took place on Tuesday, October 13, while the Senate debated the Executive branch’s request for legislative powers. When asked why he did not postpone his participation in the health congress, given the significance of the legislative debate for the country, Aguinaga maintained that it was an eventualidad and stated that he had to travel regardless.
🚨 Alejandro Aguinaga viajó a Argentina el martes 13 de octubre y todavía no regresa pese a que desde el jueves se inició el debate del pedido de facultades. El fujimorista no registró su votación sobre la cuestión de orden que planetaba debatir los límites del Senado sobre el… pic.twitter.com/mMO8xxkWYB
Two days after his departure, on Thursday, October 15, Aguinaga participated remotely in a session of the Constitution Commission. During the session, Patricia Iturregui (Partido del Buen Gobierno) presented a motion to debate whether the Senate holds the authority to modify the executive request for powers, which the commission subsequently put to a vote.
Connection problems prevent Aguinaga from casting deciding vote
During the commission vote on Thursday, Patricia Iturregui’s motion secured six votes in favor and five against. However, the vote of Alejandro Aguinaga, of the bancada oficialista that opposed the legislative request, failed to register in time due to connection problems.
Commission president Carlos Mesía closed the voting process and proclaimed that the request had been rejected before Aguinaga’s vote could be recorded. Opposition senators argued that if Aguinaga’s vote had registered in opposition, the tally would have tied at six to six, shifting the decision to a vote dirimente by Mesía.
Did You Know?
Following the closure of the vote and the proclamation of the result by Carlos Mesía, a subsequent rectification attempt yielded zero votes in favor and seven against after several legislators had already left the session.
Lawmakers abandon session after contested committee vote
Following the contested vote and the refusal to alter the outcome, lawmakers from the Buen Gobierno, Ahora Nación, Juntos por el Perú, and Obras parliamentary groups abandoned the session. The departing legislators accused Fuerza Popular of attempting to disregard the first vote and of trying to take into account the vote of Aguinaga when the president Mesía had already given the proclamation of the result after closing the voting.
🚨 Alejandro Aguinaga viajó a Argentina el martes 13 de octubre y todavía no regresa pese a debate por facultades pic.twitter.com/heDRz7iGy4
Sources noted remarks regarding public safety data, while separate parliamentary sessions saw unrelated tensions flare, including an incident where Alejandro Aguinaga was reported to have aggressed a worker of the Congress during a session of the Commission of Justice.
Senator Aguinaga traveled to Argentina before remote vote failure
When did Senator Alejandro Aguinaga travel to Argentina?
According to the certificate issued by the Superintendencia Nacional de Migraciones, Alejandro Aguinaga left the country for Argentina on Tuesday, October 13.
What vote was affected by connection problems during the Thursday session?
A motion of order presented by Patricia Iturregui to debate whether the Senate can modify the executive request for legislative powers was affected when Aguinaga’s remote vote failed to register before the commission president closed the voting.
Which political groups abandoned the Constitution Commission session?
The legislative groups of Buen Gobierno, Ahora Nación, Juntos por el Perú, and Obras walked out of the meeting after accusing Fuerza Popular of disregarding the first vote and of trying to take into account the vote of Aguinaga when the president Mesía had already given the proclamation of the result after closing the voting.
How will remote participation rules be managed in future Senate votes with tight legislative margins?
Worth a look