Congress transcends itself: Legislature already has more ‘pay cut’ parliamentarians than their predecessors

In recent weeks, several congressmen of the current Congress of the Republic They are accused of memorizing employees’ salaries in their office in a variety of ways: through chat rooms, making deposits, and even going to an ATM to withdraw funds.

Unfortunately, this situation does not seem far off to us, since the last parliaments, at least since 2011, have had their own “pay cut” congressmen.

But the 2021-2026 Parliament was a milestone. At the time of this report’s closing, there are five Congresswomen who have been registered, indicted, or who are under open investigation on this matter: Cathy Ugarte (no clique), Rocio Torres, Magali Ruiz (Alianza Para el Progreso), Heidi Juarez (Podemos ). Peru) and Maria Cordero John Tay (Power of the People).

What is the position of each of these legislators?

Maria Cordero John Tay

Prosecutors have launched a preliminary investigation into Congresswoman Fujimori for allegedly committing a concussion offense for alleged false charges against her office workers.

In investigation public service against MP elected by Tumbes includes Brayden Alexander Paredes Kalla, file specialist from Congress of the Republicas an alleged accomplice.

Cathy Ugarte

Independent congressmen’s workers denounced in the Sunday newspaper Cuarto Poder that they contributed between S$300 and S$400 as a “voluntary contribution” used to improve the public image of the Cusco-elected MP.

This came to light from the chats shown in the aforementioned journalistic program, in which its workers said that they had collected about S/2000 soles for this purpose. The money was received by Wilber Felices Villafuerte, a confidant of Ugarte. Even proof of transmission was shown.

Cathy Ugarte is currently under investigation by the Ethics Commission Congress of the Republic.

Rocio Torres, Magali Ruiz and Heidi Juarez

Another Sunday post showed former Congress worker Carlos Marina Puscan asking for a donation of 1,500 a.s.a. for office workers. Magali Ruiz (application); the same deputy group, Rosio Torres he would force his workers to transfer their wages to the account of his nephew Juan Daniel Pérez Guerra.

Heidi Juarezwho entered Congress as part of the Alianza Para el Progreso bench, was later expelled and is now in Podemos, citizen José Alvarado Roja filed a constitutional complaint against the alleged crime of concussion.

What happened at Alianza Para el Progreso? “The desperation to get more seats in parliament would lead Alianza Para el Progreso to “sign” characters with some political support in their regions without passing through a strict filter. These acts of pay cuts are an act of personal responsibility. every congressman, but it has an impact on the political party,” says Richard Tapia, Liberteño and director of the Peruvian Institute of Public Communications.

“Mocha salaries” in recent years

Even Extraordinary Congress 2020, who had served only one year, had his own congresswoman take a pay cut. parliamentarian Rosario Paredesfrom Acción Popular, her worker accused her of having pledged half her salary to another Congress worker and even to a third party at the request of the wife of the popular “Charito”.

Even Acción Popular released a statement asking the Ethics Commission to investigate the matter. The truth is that a few months later “Charito” appeared as a candidate for Regional and municipal elections – 2022.

“Given this fact, we see things like cable thieves, chicken eaters, rapists, and now pay cuts. Therefore, we should not be surprised by these demonstrations, which are largely the same. It is worth thinking about what we are doing so that these problems do not recur, these crimes do not multiply. The path is political reform,” says political scientist Oscar Diaz.

The paradox of ethics

Two exposed and investigated congresses, Rosio Torres And magali ruizThey served on the Congressional Ethics Committee. Can we change? Where is the parliamentary ethics when members of this commission are accused of cutting salaries? Alonso Villarán, a specialist in ethics and public administration, says the following: “A politician must follow the golden rule: treat citizens the way they would like to be treated. parts, don’t. They do not put themselves in the place of their closest associates, as is the case with congressmen who charge quotas from their workers. is, with the same rule of gold.”

For political communicator Gianfranco Vigo, it’s all about the fact that “now politics is seen and perceived as big business.” “Applying for the office of Congressman of the Republic is subject to private, economic interests, to protect certain businesses from Parliament, certain businesses, or to enact legislation to grant certain types of benefits or support interests that do not always border on what is legitimate. Thus, the investment in the political campaign is perceived as one that needs to be restored,” adds the analyst from Cajamarca.

In Peru, our authorities continue to outdo themselves, and the population is re-living problems that have lasted for years. As experts say, only a radical political reform could change this situation.