Formosa moves forward with a 'Chavista constitution' and six constituent members have already resigned

The constitutional reform promoted by communist dictator Gildo Insfrán in Formosa has sparked a new controversy with the resignation of six opposition constituent assembly members belonging to La Libertad Avanza (LLA) and related groups.

The decision was announced on Tuesday, when the legislators left their seats in protest against the process of amending the provincial Constitution, which they described as  "a farce marked by authoritarianism" and  "the first Chavista constitution in Argentina".

The constituent body, made up of 30 members elected last June 29, aims to reform the provincial Constitution within a two-month period,  including changes to  "the political rights to elect and be elected"  within the jurisdiction.

Of the seats, 21 belong to the ruling party, nine to the opposition. With the resignation, the opposition sector was reduced to three members of the Unión Cívica Radical (UCR).

The resigning members are Atilio Basualdo, Sofía Fridman, Pablo Míguez, Gabriela Neme, Francisco Paoltroni, and Guillermo Evans. Among the arguments presented, they pointed to  "serious irregularities"  and a  "systematic violation" of the internal regulations.

Provincial deputy Neme, in her resignation letter, stated that the reforms  "constitute a betrayal of the homeland"  and that they are  "turning Formosa into Venezuela". She added that she would not be part of a  "tainted, orchestrated procedure" to legitimize changes that  "undermine democracy, private property, the freedoms of Formosa's citizens, and especially the rules of our National Constitution".

Senator Paoltroni called for federal intervention, arguing that the convention "doesn't respect parliamentary minorities"  and that articles are being amended that "again violate the National Constitution, such as 39 and 40". He described the project as a "communist constitution to continue accumulating power".

LLA denounced, through a video released on social media, that during opposition interventions microphones were cut off, the right to speak was denied, and deliberate interruptions occurred. Basualdo, mayor of Las Lomitas, reiterated that the process is  "a farce marked by authoritarianism".

The six legislators could face sanctions according to Article 111 of the provincial Constitution, which stipulates that accepting a resignation requires the vote of more than half of those present.

In contrast,  the three UCR constituent members —including Miguel Montoya, president of the party in Formosa— decided to remain in the process, despite acknowledging the "abuses" of the ruling party. Montoya maintained that "the ruling party doesn't seek to debate or reach consensus, it only knows the path of abuse" but stated that democracy "was not forged by abandoning struggles"  and that the first respect for it is "to debate, demand, and present ideas, even from the most absolute of minorities".

The debate over the communist constitutional reform in Formosa continues amid a climate of intense political tension, marked by the absolute and authoritarian control exercised by the ruling party  in the convention.