Triple anti-citizen shielding

by Miguel Antonio Bernal

Beaming with the typical smile they use when they mock the people, the deputies approved Bill 214 which they are shielded by a countless number of prerogatives and legal privileges in criminal proceedings.

We will never know exactly how many participated in the vote, which was taken by the classical table-pounding learned in the days of due obedience to military rule. The Code of Criminal Procedure and its amending Law 55 of 2012 were thus modified and await presidential approval. According to President Varela, he will “analyze” it with his legal team. In other words, there is so far no intention to veto it, as requested by various civic organizations and as required by constitutional theory and doctrine, as well as the fundamentals of constitutionalism.

The content and purpose of this triple shielding rule, which is stated in an artificial exposition of fallacious concepts, serves as a starting point to confirm that the governing bodies of the state want a future identical to the immediate past. This allows an ephemeral governability and a satisfactory way to navigate an ocean of impunity.

Once again the power brokers and their political factions have used the law to cover their true intentions — an absolute grip on power, with the growing exclusion of citizen participation and power, holding participatory democracy as a hostage of their own interests

Freed from any citizen control the President, the Supreme Court and the deputies may act and exercise political power as irrationally as they please. They have banded together to armor all three branches of government — one for all, all for one.

The triple shielding rule is, in its essence, anti-citizen. It would offend our scant freedoms, to the point of the government losing all concept of legitimacy. Au revoir, la haut!