Rocío Ojeda, a permanent employee of the National Congress, denounced that she was irregularly dismissed last month, without receiving any official communication about the reasons for her dismissal. She claims that, having more than two and a half years of service, she enjoys job stability and that her departure should have been preceded by a disciplinary administrative process.
Ojeda joined the Legislature in July 2023 as an assistant to then-Senator Javier “Chaqueñito” Vera, later served as chief of staff, and finally as director of the Animal Protection Commission. In April, after Senator Guadalupe Aveiro took office, she was removed from the directorial position — which she did not contest because it was a position of trust. In the same act, however, she was informed of her definitive dismissal.
“They don't tell me the reason and they don't allow me to access the document. What the law requires is an administrative process to dismiss me,” she said. She said she filed requests for reconsideration and urgent measures due to her health condition — multiple sclerosis — but received no response. “They won't let me see the process, absolutely nothing,” she lamented.
The employee has already filed a lawsuit in the contentious-administrative jurisdiction and continues to work from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. while the notice period runs, which expires on May 30. This Monday, she was called by the Human Resources department, where she heard that there would be an order from the President of Congress, Basilio Bachi Núñez, to reassess her situation. “The manager told me to look for a place to stay and that they could relocate me to the security area, but they should look at my history and see my function,” she recounted.
Ojeda questioned the lack of a clear definition about her future. “They tell me to look for a place or, otherwise, they could send me to security. They are the ones who know the structure and should tell me what my function is,” she said. She stated that she has already suffered a salary reduction and reiterated that she never questioned the loss of the director position, as it was a position of trust. “What I am fighting for is my position as a permanent employee of the institution.”
Two weeks ago, the President of Congress, Basilio Bachi Núñez, declared he was unaware of the case. “We'll see this case,” he said, adding that if the employee was appointed, she cannot be removed. The statement was made before Ojeda reported the alleged review order coming from the same authority.