Life Senatorships Rejected: Samaniego Accuses Cartismo of Ignoring the People

From Asunción, Paraguay, the political maneuvering in Congress continues to draw sharp criticism from those who believe the ruling party is out of touch with the everyday struggles of ordinary citizens. Senator Lilian Samaniego, a prominent voice within the dissident Colorado Party faction Causa Republicana, has made it unequivocally clear: her bloc will stand firm against the proposed legislation that would formalize life senatorships for former presidents.

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We are going to reject this request to regulate the life senatorship. The independent bloc Causa Republicana of the Colorado Party, made up of Juan Afara, Arnaldo Samaniego and myself, will not lend ourselves to what the ruling party is trying to do today, which is to cover up and not deal with the real problems of the people.

Samaniego's stance, as reported by ABC Color, is not just a procedural objection; it's a passionate denunciation of what she terms the "cartismo" faction's attempt to "cover up and not deal with the real problems of the people." She argues that pushing for such a bill, especially through accelerated processes, serves only to divert attention from pressing economic concerns. Her words paint a stark picture: stagnant wages, the rising cost of essential goods like meat, milk, and eggs, and a public transport system in disarray.

"The salary of the people is not enough," Samaniego declared, relaying the heart-wrenching choices faced by mothers forced to choose between medicine and food for their children. This is the reality that, according to her, the government of Santiago Peña and the ruling party are ignoring. The proposed life senatorship, in this context, is seen not as a matter of constitutional refinement but as a political gambit to sidestep accountability for economic mismanagement.

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The salary of the people is not enough. Do you know what mothers tell me? Lilian, I have to choose between buying medicine or feeding my child. Do you know what that means? These are the issues we should be dealing with. And we will not lend ourselves to the ruling party to divert attention and present this bill.

This clash highlights a fundamental disconnect. While the ruling party focuses on potentially entrenching political privilege, dissenting voices like Samaniego's emphasize the urgent need for governance that addresses the tangible economic hardships faced by Paraguayans. The "Causa Republicana" is positioning itself as the true representative of the people's concerns, contrasting sharply with a government perceived as "far from the people" and "removed from citizen reality."

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These issues are what should be occupying [our attention]; they wanted to divert attention. So, Causa Republicana, we will not be swayed by the ruling party.