The Government assured that there was no political or personal reason to choose Miguel Ángel Valencia as a candidate for National Prosecutor. In the Senate, meanwhile, they have shown a good willingness to listen to his project, however, in the ruling party there are those who have shown severe objections to the candidate.
This Wednesday the Government reported that the President Gabriel Boric chose the lawyer Miguel Angel Valencia As the candidate for National Prosecutor who must be ratified by the Senate.
His name would generate consensus in a large part of the opposition, however, in the ruling party there are a series of doubts, because the lawyer represented defendants and convicted of sexual crimes against women and was an advisor to the former RN senator, Alberto Espina.
Furthermore, in his role as employee in the office of lawyer Juan Domingo Acostarepresented the current Minister of the Interior, Carolina Toha, when in the 2000s it was involved in the corruption scandal known as Publicam. According to Valencia, she only saw her once when a meeting was held at the end of the case.
In the same office he worked with Miguel Pinerabrother of former President Sebastián Piñera.
Senate has rejected two names for National Prosecutor
Along these lines, President Gabriel Boric ruled out the existence of pressure for the election of Valencia. He said that he does not make “bargaining coins”, after being consulted by the election to stop the eventual Constitutional Accusation against Minister Ríos.
Likewise, he called on the senators to “act responsibly” so that the National Prosecutor’s Office does not continue “headless.”
“The important thing here is that the Prosecutor’s Office cannot continue to be headless. Mr. Morales was rejected by the Senate. Subsequently, we presented Marta Herrera, with an impeccable career and she was also rejected. Today we present a third name and there are some threatening that they will reject again. I ask them what are they playing?“said the President.
“What matters here is that the Prosecutor’s Office can be strengthened, and not a dispute between the Government and the Senate (…) We have presented two names that have been rejected, now we present a third, are they going to do the same? I invite us to act responsibly. The challenge is to be able to put the greater good of citizens above personal interests. I hope that once and for all the Senate understands it that way”, added President Boric.
Regarding this, the president of the Senate Constitution Committee, Matthias Walker (Democratic party in formation), maintained that everyone has the right to defense and, furthermore, for the well-being of the Public Ministry “it would be good for someone from outside to arrive.”
Meanwhile, the senator and member of the Constitution Committee, Rodrigo Galilee (RN), said that it seems reasonable to choose whoever had 17 votes from the Supreme Court in the first instance. Therefore, they are reviewing his background to listen to him and ask him the appropriate questions, she said.