Senate Commission Reopens Debate Over Executive Delegated Powers

Overview

• The Senate's Constitution Commission reconvened Saturday to resume hearings on the executive's request for delegated faculties after a suspended session on Friday.
• Prime Minister Luis Galarreta told the commission the government originally filed 66 requests grouped in eight matters and called the roughly 20 points approved by the Chamber of Deputies insufficient.
• Ministers Marco Vinelli and Juan Carlos Requejo presented arguments for expanding powers while the ministers of Justice and Housing remain to be heard and no final vote has been taken.
• Governing-party senators defended the chamber's authority to amend or increase the deputies' text, while opposition senators warned that introducing a new committee-level draft would breach limits and 'desnaturalize' the lower chamber's mandate.
• The dispute centers on whether the Senate can broaden a 90-day delegation tied to citizen security and El Niño response, a decision that could change how quickly the executive issues emergency rules and affect public safety and disaster aid delivery.