Congress in the spotlight: controversial decisions and postponements generate concern and discontent.

The Congress is immersed in an intense session that will extend over four consecutive days, with the aim of approving various reports before the current legislative term ends on June 15. However, one of the topics that has generated the most controversy and is at risk of not being debated is the one that seeks to prevent the candidacy of those convicted of serious crimes such as murder. Congressman Alejandro Muñante, from Renovación Popular, has stated that his party will request that this issue be included in the agenda of priorities during the parliamentary session. Despite the limitations they face due to the small number of congressmen in their party, Muñante has expressed his commitment to pushing forward this proposal. On the other hand, the president of the Constitution Committee, Martha Moyano, will be in charge of deciding whether the report that seeks to prohibit the candidacy of those convicted of murder will come to a vote. Although the project is on the plenary agenda, there does not seem to be a clear political will to address this issue in the current term. Political analyst Jeffrey Radzinsky has pointed out that the priorities of the Congress seem to respond more to individual interests than to the relevance of the issues for national politics. Despite achieving consensus in record time on other matters, such as amending the definition of organized crime, the proposal to establish restrictions on running for public office has been on hold since last December. Furthermore, the lack of willingness to debate the reports from the Ethics Committee recommending the suspension of congressmen like Juan Carlos Lizarzaburu, Jorge Luis Flores Ancachi, and Katy Ugarte has raised concerns. Although these reports were approved last January, they have not been included in the parliamentary agenda for current sessions, suggesting a shielding of the investigated legislators. The case of Lizarzaburu, who faces a 120-day suspension for misogynistic remarks, as well as that of Flores Ancachi, accused of cutting his workers' salaries, and Ugarte, whose advisors have been accused of cutting salaries, demonstrate the urgency of addressing these situations. However, the lack of action by the full Congress creates a climate of impunity and discontent among the citizens. In this sense, it is crucial that the Congress prioritize national interest issues and act with transparency and responsibility in handling ethical cases involving its members. The lack of action on such relevant matters as the prohibition of convicted murderers from running for office and the suspension of investigated congressmen calls into question the Parliament's ability to fulfill its function in an ethical and efficient manner.