Assembly members of four political parties introduced a bill that, if enacted, would eliminate a legal shield for lawmakers that prohibits law enforcement agencies from arresting them.
The bill was introduced by eight members of the legislature Thursday in order to bring equality among all residents and citizens.
The argument behind the proposal is to get rid of a legal provision that allows corruption.
The bill was introduced by Assemblyman Alejandro Arregui, Leader of the Institutional Revolutionary Party, or PRI in Spanish, Caucus.
The shield, known in Spanish as “fuero,” was created around a century ago in order to protect lawmakers from being arrest for making harsh remarks against government agencies and officials, especially the president.
“It is our duty as citizens’ representatives to create legal measures that correspond to the political and social circumstances in the state,” Arregui said. “By addressing societal issues and demands to finish with privilege that tolerate impunity and a culture of illegality, we must introduce this bill.”
The shield has been used by some elected officials who allegedly have committed a crime to go take their cases to a legislative commission before confronting justice, he said.
“There must not be any distinctions among citizens. There is a need that all of us are equal before the law,” he said. “The law must be enforced equally and whoever commits a crime must be punished. It is an urgency to disappear this armor that politicians enjoy.”
