The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Raúl Latorre (ANR, HC), said that the decision on the new motion to lift the immunity of Cartista lawmaker Esteban Samaniego depends on a deal involving three other parliamentarians with pending proceedings, since removing him requires a two-thirds majority (53 votes) and no single political force can reach that number on its own.
Judge Osmar Legal renewed the motion to strip Samaniego of his immunity in the case over alleged property damage of G. 1.108 million during his time as mayor of Quyquyhó. The case also involves the lawmaker's wife and current mayor of the municipality, Patricia Corvalán (ANR, HC), and is heading toward an oral trial.
Samaniego faces four motions to lift his immunity, the oldest dating back to 2019, and three of the cases involve physical assault and trespassing, with no political motivation. The exception is the case of dissident lawmaker Mauricio Espínola, who received a favorable ruling after chats were leaked in which Horacio Cartes's lawyer, Pedro Ovelar, gave direct instructions to prosecutor Aldo Cantero.
Latorre argued that lifting the immunity of all the parliamentarians requires political consensus and cited the example of Espínola, who voluntarily requested his removal from office in another case involving negligent homicide. Roya Torres and Cleto Marcelino Giménez, from the Liberal Party, also face cases linked to their offices.
The House broadly interprets parliamentary immunities, although Article 191 of the Constitution protects only opinions expressed in the exercise of office and detention in cases of flagrante delicto.