Paraguay’s Lower House Logs Its 34th Failed Session of the Year as Latorre’s “Empty” Threats Draw Laughter

Paraguay’s Chamber of Deputies failed to begin another regular session because too few lawmakers showed up, marking the 34th time this year that a session either did not start or did not finish. The episode adds to what ABC Color calls the “Chamber of Shame.”

At 9:30 a.m., after the half-hour grace period had passed, Speaker Raúl Latorre was forced to lift the session. Only 36 lawmakers were present, five fewer than the minimum needed to begin.

Of the 42 regular sessions scheduled this year, the chamber has completed its agenda only eight times. Most of those were extraordinary sessions involving one or two issues backed by the Colorado Party majority. An extraordinary session later called for 10 a.m. eventually began at 10:30 with the minimum quorum, but the lawmakers’ obligation was to attend the regular session.

Latorre has spent the past month threatening to reform the chamber’s internal rules so lawmakers could face salary deductions for unjustified absences. ABC Color describes those threats as empty because no reform has yet been completed. A proposed amendment reportedly was ordered from technical staff last week, but it has not been presented. Any change would require approval by the full chamber.

The existing rules already allow the speaker to reprimand lawmakers for repeated unjustified absences and deduct their allowances. Latorre says he cannot apply the deductions because an absence can be “justified” by a simple phone call, even after the fact and without a substantial reason. Despite the repeated absences, lawmakers continue receiving 37.9 million guaraníes a month in salary and benefits.