Opposition prepares constitutional accusation against Piñera after Pandora papers

Piñera, Lasso and others respond to Pandora's roles 3:53

(CNN Spanish) -

The opposition benches in Chile agreed on Tuesday to present a constitutional accusation against President Sebastián Piñera, after a sale agreement was revealed by Minera Dominga in the British Virgin Islands, where the president's family sold their part of the project to another Chilean businessman.

The facts were revealed this Sunday in the Pandora papers, an investigation by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ), which in Chile was in charge of LaBot and Cifer and which was also published in Spain by El País.

The documents explain that one of the clauses of the payment to the Piñera was that the Chilean government did not declare a nature reserve in the area where the Dominga Mine would be established.

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The opposition deputy and head of the socialist caucus, Jaime Naranjo, explained that the reasons and grounds for the accusation will be based on the fact that the president would have violated the laws “for having infringed the principle of probity and for seriously compromising the honor of the homeland. ”, After the investigation that revealed an operation for US $ 152 million in 2010 and in which the Chilean president is mentioned.

In Chile, a constitutional indictment is a mechanism of Congress that seeks to clarify political responsibilities in high public positions for any infraction of the constitution.

Following a political trial, the defendant could be removed from office or disqualified from office.

What do Pandora's papers reveal?

Journalist responds 4:58

"Our spirit, spirit, is that this accusatory libel is presented next week and we will make every effort to make that happen effectively," Naranjo added about the decision, which was supported by 8 opposition political parties.

The Minister Secretary General of the Presidency, Juan José Ossa, criticized the announcement of the opposition bench and affirmed that "what the deputies are looking for is a political point a few weeks before the parliamentary and presidential elections" of November 21.

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Previously, Piñera had already denied any type of irregularity in the sale of the Dominga mining project.

Consulted by CNN, the Presidency indicated that for the moment they will not issue a response for the announcement of this accusation.

CNN has not done its own analysis of the statements and documents published by the ICIJ.

Having accounts in banks or offshore or "offshore" companies is not necessarily illegal.

In 2019, the Chamber of Deputies and Deputies had already tried to promote a constitutional accusation against Piñera for "the serious and systematic violations of Human Rights committed by State agents" during the social outbreak, but the measure did not prosper as it did not gather the necessary votes .

pandora papers