Bullrich suspends Adorni's Senate report, citing lack of interest and 'public punishment'

The head of the ruling bloc in the Argentine Senate, Patricia Bullrich, announced the suspension of Cabinet Chief Manuel Adorni's scheduled report to the upper house on July 2. Bullrich, representing the officialist bloc, stated that bringing Adorni to the Senate for an eight-hour "public punishment" served no purpose, as senators were not genuinely interested in questioning him in his capacity as Cabinet Chief.

This decision was communicated during a meeting with opposition leaders from the "dialoguista" (dialogue-oriented) factions. In the same meeting, Bullrich secured an agreement with these blocs to require a supermajority of two-thirds of present senators to authorize any interpellation of Adorni. This new rule was ratified in a subsequent meeting of the Parliamentary Labor committee, setting new guidelines for an upcoming session where Kirchnerism intended to push for an interpellation and a motion of censure against Adorni, citing his significant increase in wealth over the past year.

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I suspended (the report) because there was no point in making him come to be punished publicly for eight hours; besides, the senators are not interested in asking him questions as Cabinet Chief.

Bullrich explained that there are precedents for requiring a two-thirds vote to even discuss a motion of censure. The agreement, however, overturns a previous understanding reached just the week before. In that earlier meeting, Bullrich had agreed that an absolute majority, or 37 votes in the Senate, would suffice to open discussion on Adorni's interpellation. Notably, no representatives from Kirchnerism participated in the latest meeting, with their bloc leader, José Mayans, insisting on respecting the previously signed agreement. Bullrich and the "dialoguista" opposition declared the prior agreement invalid.

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There are precedents where, when a motion of censure was requested, a two-thirds vote was required to authorize its discussion.