Chilean Senate rejects constitutional accusation that sought to remove Sebastián Piñera

The Senate of Chile rejected this Tuesday the constitutional accusation sent by the deputies to dismiss President Sebastián Piñera for the case of the sale of a mining company in 2010, which according to the “Pandora Papers” took place in a tax haven.

With 24 votes in favor, 18 against and one abstention, the promoters of the impeachment or impeachment – all opposition parliamentarians – did not get the necessary majority of 29 votes to remove the president from office.

With this result, the process is closed without any political consequence for Piñera.

Impeachment to remove Sebastián Piñera faces a long day in the Senate

The constitutional accusation took place just five days before next Sunday, November 21, the country holds presidential elections to search for Piñera’s successor, who will end his term in March 2022 and who, after the result of this trial, will be able to continue, for now. , in office for the months that remain.

Last week, the Chamber of Deputies held a marathon and historic session in which the socialist deputy Jaime Naranjo read 1,300 pages of arguments for almost 15 hours while waiting to have the necessary votes to process the accusation against Piñera, which was approved after almost 24 hours.

Piñera was accused of violating the principle of probity and the right to live in an environment free of contamination, and of having compromised the honor of the nation.

According to the investigation of the Chilean media CIPER and LaBot, included in the “Pandora’s Papers”, Piñera’s children sold the Dominga mining company to businessman Carlos Alberto Delano – a close friend of the president – for 152 million dollars.

Pandora Papers: Opposition presents impeachment against Sebastián Piñera, in Chile

The operation, which took place during the first Piñera government (2010-2014), was mostly carried out in the Virgin Islands.

The payment had to be made in three installments. A controversial clause made the last payment conditional on “not establishing an area of ​​environmental protection over the area of ​​operations of the mining company, as claimed by environmental groups.”

Once Piñera assumed power, this area, which encompasses a true natural treasure on the shores of the Pacific, was not considered as a protection zone recommended by his predecessor Michelle Bachelet (2006-2010). (I)