Senate President Basilio "Bachi" Núñez (ANR, HC) and the leader of the Cartista bloc in the upper house, Natalicio Chase (ANR, HC), have introduced a bill expanding the powers of the Comptroller General's Office (CGR) to fine, prosecute, and take legal action against agencies and entities that fail to comply with the transparency rules set out in Law No. 5189/2014.
According to the bill's sponsors, the current legislation provides for a fine of 180 daily wages — equivalent to more than G. 21 million — for heads of public agencies and mayors who fail to publish monthly payroll spreadsheets for public servants. In practice, however, these penalties have not been enforced. The bill amends Articles 8 and 9 of the law so that noncompliance constitutes an enforceable instrument, allowing for legal action under the Code of Civil Procedure.
The initiative also authorizes the Comptroller General's Office to enter into agreements with the Ministry of Finance for the collection of fines and establishes that responsibility for payment falls on the heads of the public agencies or entities that fail to meet the reporting obligation.
The bill was introduced in May but has not advanced through committee. It was referred to the Committee on Constitutional Affairs; the Committee on National Defense and Public Security; and the Committee on Legislation, Codification, Justice, and Labor.
The proposal comes amid a debate over the role of the Comptroller General's Office, currently headed by Comptroller Camilo Benítez. The opposition argues that the fiscal oversight body must be kept beyond the reach of the ruling party to ensure a balance of powers. Opposition figures accuse Benítez of acting as a political instrument of the Cartista movement, being used as a "stranglehold" against adversaries and as a "lifeline" for allies.
At the same time, the Cartista bloc has supported allowing dozens of Colorado-aligned and opposition municipalities to submit their financial statements to the Tribunal de Cuentas rather than going through oversight by the CGR. A bill seeking to reverse that situation was blocked by the Cartista caucus itself.