The Senate established on Monday, June 15, the Special Investigation Commission to investigate the issuance, commercialization, and use of allegedly fake or irregular university degrees, diplomas, and certifications in higher education, technical training, professional development, and postgraduate studies. The board was composed of Senator Patrick Kemper as president, Senator Esperanza Martínez as vice president, and Senator Dionisio Amarilla as rapporteur, approved by consensus.
The creation of the commission follows the scandal involving Universidad Sudamericana and the irregular issuance of academic degrees, a case that led to the resignation of former Senator Hernán Rivas, who is currently facing legal proceedings regarding the validity of his university credentials. The institution reportedly issued around 2,500 degrees over a period of three to four years across approximately twenty programs, including hundreds in the field of Law.
During the first session, Senator Esperanza Martínez argued that the investigation should start with Universidad Sudamericana and threatened to withdraw from the commission if the work was limited to what she called "mere trivialities." "Today we were all very clear, both Senator Blanca Ovelar and others said we came to work, to do things seriously and with scientific rigor. If we stray from that, if it lacks that character, we will withdraw," she stated. Martínez emphasized that all irregular degrees must be annulled, "no matter whose they are."
Senator Dionisio Amarilla proposed that legislators themselves submit their academic backgrounds to a thorough review as a sign of institutional transparency, extending the verification to governors, mayors, councilors, and other public officials. The proposal sparked disagreement: Senator Celeste Amarilla argued that the work should initially focus on the universities already reported, especially Sudamericana, before moving on to general reviews of parliamentarians.
Senator Lizarella Valiente warned that using fake degrees to access positions, bonuses, or economic benefits in public office could constitute fraud against the State and advocated for referring the cases to the Public Prosecutor's Office. She also expressed concern about the safety of commission members, stating that some legislators already have concrete complaints that could provoke retaliation. Senator Blanca Ovelar described the issue as "highly complex" and warned that degree forgery is not a new phenomenon but a problem worsened by the weaknesses of control systems in the digital age.
The commission president, Patrick Kemper, explained that the group will initially have six months to conduct investigations and prepare a final report with recommendations and possible legislative proposals. The commission will enable digital channels to receive citizen complaints and summon authorities from the Ministry of Education and Sciences (MEC), the National Agency for Evaluation and Accreditation of Higher Education (ANEAES), the National Council of Higher Education (CONES), and representatives from public and private universities.
Meanwhile, the Minister of Education and Sciences, Luis Ramírez, announced at a press conference that the MEC has forwarded a total of 250 complaints of alleged fake degrees to the Public Prosecutor's Office, most linked to the Education Sciences program. According to the minister, these degrees show no signs of official registration. Ramírez clarified that investigating the complaints is the exclusive responsibility of the Public Prosecutor's Office and that, meanwhile, the MEC cannot take administrative measures regarding the cases. The minister also highlighted that the National Council of Higher Education (CONES) and ANEAES have specific legally defined functions that must be respected.
The commission also includes Senators Blanca Ovelar, Derlis Maidana, Juan Carlos Galaverna Ortega, Zenaida Delgado, Rafael Filizzola, Celeste Amarilla, Noelia Cabrera, and Yolanda Paredes. Senator Filizzola participated in the first meeting virtually and proposed that the group focus on the scheme of manufacturing fake degrees, as well as expressing concern about the expedited issuance of postgraduate degrees. The debate ended without setting a date or time for the first regular meeting, but Kemper promised to communicate with each member to reach a consensus.