Sofía Guillén Receives Absence Permit Following Controversy Over Denied Request
The Frontline lawmaker secures authorization for medical appointment amid political tensions in Congress.
Sofía Guillén, a member of the Frente Amplio (FA) party, has been granted permission to be absent from an extraordinary session of the Congress on Friday to attend a medical appointment related to her pregnancy.
This authorization comes after the legislative president, Rodrigo Arias, initially denied her request, citing that the quota for absence permits had been reached.
The legislative session scheduled for Friday is expected to address a significant backlog of legislative proposals, with 426 bills awaiting discussion and an agenda of 60 items planned for Thursday.
The decision for an extraordinary session was made following two incidents earlier in the week that resulted in a lack of quorum, hindering legislative work.
Guillén's initial request for absence due to her medical appointment was submitted on Monday but was rejected by Arias's office, which stated that the maximum number of ten absence permits per session had already been allocated.
In a response to Guillén, the legislative presidency emphasized their adherence to regulations regarding absence requests.
Antonio Ortega, the head of the FA, publicly condemned Arias's decision during a meeting of party leaders, leading to heightened media attention on the issue.
Following this outcry, Arias’s office subsequently authorized the absence for Guillén.
In a formal complaint sent to Arias, Ortega articulated dissatisfaction with the prioritization of absence permits for external travel over medical appointments, highlighting that such decisions contradict the inherent rights to health as outlined in Costa Rica's Constitution.
He argued that allowing pregnant lawmakers to attend necessary medical appointments should reflect the state’s responsibility to protect the health of mothers.
As legislative activities progress, there is ongoing debate regarding the management of permission requests and the prioritization of different types of absence within the Congress.
This authorization comes after the legislative president, Rodrigo Arias, initially denied her request, citing that the quota for absence permits had been reached.
The legislative session scheduled for Friday is expected to address a significant backlog of legislative proposals, with 426 bills awaiting discussion and an agenda of 60 items planned for Thursday.
The decision for an extraordinary session was made following two incidents earlier in the week that resulted in a lack of quorum, hindering legislative work.
Guillén's initial request for absence due to her medical appointment was submitted on Monday but was rejected by Arias's office, which stated that the maximum number of ten absence permits per session had already been allocated.
In a response to Guillén, the legislative presidency emphasized their adherence to regulations regarding absence requests.
Antonio Ortega, the head of the FA, publicly condemned Arias's decision during a meeting of party leaders, leading to heightened media attention on the issue.
Following this outcry, Arias’s office subsequently authorized the absence for Guillén.
In a formal complaint sent to Arias, Ortega articulated dissatisfaction with the prioritization of absence permits for external travel over medical appointments, highlighting that such decisions contradict the inherent rights to health as outlined in Costa Rica's Constitution.
He argued that allowing pregnant lawmakers to attend necessary medical appointments should reflect the state’s responsibility to protect the health of mothers.
As legislative activities progress, there is ongoing debate regarding the management of permission requests and the prioritization of different types of absence within the Congress.
