The 78 Chilean deputies who were chosen by lottery to undergo a drug test will do so starting this Monday within the framework of a new internal regulation that seeks to prevent the consumption of substances and increase the standards of transparency in parliamentary work.
The tests, which consist of a hair sample to detect traces of cocaine, cannabis, benzodiazepinesopiates or amphetamines, are carried out in the laboratories of the state University of Chile from this Monday until August 30.
The results will be available within 10 to 15 days and will be public, although those parliamentarians who previously justify consumption for medical or therapeutic reasons will be exempt.
In the event that any deputy tests positive and has not justified their consumption, Bank secrecy will be lifted to show that there are no unjustifiable movements of moneys and thus avoid crimes related to drug trafficking.
The parliamentarians in question must justify the transactions they have carried out in the same month greater than $28,000 and, if they cannot do so, they will be sanctioned with between 2% and 15% of their parliamentary allowance.
“We have to start legislating on this issue. It is important that we, as public employees, take this test seriously, comply with the regulations,” said Rubén Oyarzo, from the People’s Party (right) and the first deputy to undergo to the exam.
At the end of September, the remaining 77 deputies (out of a total of 155) who were not elected in this first round must undergo the test. The initiative, promoted by the right, was approved last July by a large majority after almost two decades of discussion, although part of the left criticizes that “it violates the right to private life.”
“If there are parliamentarians who use drugs it is because they buy drugs, and if they buy
drugs, they can be extorted by those who supply them,” Deputy Juan Antonio Coloma, of the conservative Independent Democratic Union (UDI) party, said during the parliamentary discussion.
If any of the congressmen refuses to submit to the control, they will be sanctioned by the Ethics and Transparency Commission of the Chamber. The test will be six-monthly and will be applied at least twice to each parliamentarian within his four-year term.
EFE
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