In the session of June 4 in the Chamber of Deputies, opposition projects on educational and social security matters were discussed: for several days prior, everyone was preparing to debate about the opinions of universities, the funds for provinces and the new formula for updating pensions; almost a political battle of the dimension that the two versions of the omnibus law had.
For this reason, when the Jujuy representative for La Libertad Advances Manuel Quintar asked to express a “matter of privilege”, Julio Cobos, who was presiding over the session at that time, immediately and as required by the regulations, gave him the floor. Privilege issues are described in articles 127 and 128 of the organization’s regulations, which say: “They are linked to the privileges that the Constitution grants to the House and each of its members to ensure its normal functioning and protect its decorum and will be considered with the displacement of any other matter.”
It is a tool that gives legislators the possibility of intervening outside the schedule, complaints that they can make when they feel their dignity as a legislator or one of the immunities granted by the Constitution has been violated and that after statements are usually passed to the Commission of Constitutional Affairs of the Chamber.
For this reason, and in the midst of the debate, when Quintar claimed a question of privilege, the debate was automatically stopped to listen to him. In three and a half minutes he said: “My question of privilege, on this occasion, I want to present against the Jujuy Justice, or at least part of the Jujuy Justice.
As a man of law I have to tell you, apart from Jujeña Justice, that you have to understand that there has been a change of era. They have to understand that there is no longer room, in Jujuy, and I think in Argentina, for militant judges, for judges like Dr. Otaola, which has been severely questioned in recent times; that he has been a candidate for vice-governor for the UCR, that he has been a deputy, and that he has been one of the deputies who voted for the expansion of the Jujeña Court from five members to nine members, and the day after voting he assumed office as Minister of the Court Supreme.
There is also no room, Mr. President, for judges like the Dr. Pullen Llermanoswhich calls itself “The Sheriff”; “who is armed in the streets of Jujuy, who is surrounded by gangsters, who has been criminally denounced by the speaker (him) for abuse of authority.”
And followed: “I also make a strong call to the Supreme Court of Justice of Jujuywhich contains and upright judges work, but many times due to the actions of other judges, the righteous pay for sinners.
And he redoubled the claim: “We need the Supreme Court of the Nation to resolve the cases of arbitrariness in the province of Jujuy and for that we need them to open the resources in the provinces.”
Stupor spread throughout the stands and benches. The deputy seemed to be putting pressure on the Judicial System of his province by giving a name and surname to that apparently extortionate speech. He did not explain what the arbitrariness that the Supreme Court supposedly committed would be, nor why point out so and so with arguments that seemed to be influenced by personal prejudices.
Few know Quintar. The young lawyer from Jujuy took office in December of last year, and is a newcomer to politics and the Chamber. His very comfortable life in his native province always ran along other lines: his law firm, his family of traditional birth, and his passion for motorcycles that led him to travel the world competing in an enduro category.
Precisely in its motorcycle equipment – a sport that, in addition to extreme risk, implies an enormous financial outlay – it is his brother Omar, a 23-year-old law student who, when he was 17, raped a 15-year-old girl.
The facts that are judged
In February 2019 Omar Quintar He was about to start his fifth year of high school, but he still went to a friend’s birthday party during the holidays. The party – which brought together 250 teenagers from his group of friends – was in a lavish house, with security personnel and a DJ. In the living rooms scattered around the park and the barbecue area of the property, the young people drank, danced and chatted. At one point, the birthday boy’s brother and also the owner of the house, aged 16, invited a 15-year-old girlfriend to his bedroom, who – according to the case to which Data Clave had access – told him that “I wouldn’t do anything because I was unwell”, referring to the refusal to have sexual relations. With the boy’s promise not to do it, they went to the bedroom, which did not have the light on. Upon entering and always in the dark, the girl realized that there was another person inside.
They raped her between the two until she was able to get away, run to the door, turn on the light and leave. When she did so, she recognized Omar Quintar as one of her rapists. The minor filed the complaint accompanied by her parents and the justice system followed all the procedural steps. Physical and psychological examinations were carried out on the victim. The accused went through all the steps of the process, without question. Everything was recorded in the judicial process.
The two young people, also minors, were detained and after forensic examinations, they were released on probation. Omar Quintar and his friend were able to study and be at home. The two share a passion for motocross, as does Omar’s older brother, the deputy Manuel Quintar who, in addition, took the legal representation of the accused. This was in 2019. Five years later, they are days away from reaching trial.
From there it follows that – from the Jujuy judiciary – it is logically understood that The actions of the now national deputy Quintar are a blatant attempt to pressure the same provincial justice system whose judges must judge his brother.
