A hard setback for Villarruel in the Senate: the session to elect authorities was cancelled due to a lack of quorum

The preparatory session that was scheduled in the Senate was cancelled due to lack of quorum this afternoon. In an attempt to move forward with the treatment in the chamber and the renewal of authorities in the Upper House, the ruling party suffered a legislative setback just days before the ordinary sessions begin, which Javier Milei will inaugurate on Saturday.

In addition to the complete rejection of Kirchnerism, through its 34 senators, the two senators from Santa Cruz, José María Carambia and Natalia Gadano, joined in, who also did not provide a quorum and prevented the session in which the appointment of new authorities and commissions was expected to take place. As the session did not move forward, according to regulations, the terms of the current authorities will be extended.

The Unión por la Patria bloc intended to discuss proportionality in the distribution of commissions, after a 2024 in which many were not formed. In the case of the Santa Cruz legislators, the refusal to discuss the issue seems to have occurred as a result of the rejection of the official decision to move forward with the privatization of Yacimientos Carboníferos Río Turbio (YCRT).

Before going down to discuss the matter in the chamber, the ruling party had hoped that the two Santa Cruz leaders, who are often inclined to vote in line with the Government, would do so again. But that did not happen and a quorum was never achieved.