Assembly president steps down in October but downplays threat of a ‘Correista takeover’

National Assembly President Henry Kronfle, who announced he will resign October 2 to begin his campaign as presidential candidate for the Social Christian party, claims the fears of a “Correista takeover” of the Assembly are unfounded. Kronfle will be replaced as head of the Assembly by Citizens Revolution’s Viviana Veloz.

National Assembly President Henry Kronfle

“There is some hysteria that she [Veloz] will begin to enact the Correista agenda when she takes the position and this is not the case,” Kronfle said in a NotiMundo interview. “She may preside over measures that the majority of the Assembly supports, including Citizens Revolution, but it must be remembered that RC is a minority party and many of its positions are minority positions and will not become law.”

Kronfle added that Veloz’s tenure will be short as she will also resign as Assembly president to pursue her reelection campaign. “She will be leaving the job a few weeks after I do and will be replaced by someone from another party,” he said. “The law requires all of us who run for office to resign before the campaign begins.”

Kronfle expressed his support for Veloz, saying she is “honest and competent and qualified” to be Assembly president.

Another “hot button topic” facing the Assembly, Kronfle says, is the impending impeachment hearing against Attorney General Diana Salazar. “Again, I think anxiety about the trial does not match the reality of what will probably happen,” he said. “Yes, it will create some headlines, but it will not have much impact in the long term. It won’t affect the election or the legal work of the prosecutor’s office.”

Kronfle repeated his earlier claim that Salazar’s trial is a “waste of time.” There are not enough votes for a conviction or even a censure, he says. “It’s a show some people will enjoy but that’s all it is.”

He adds: “Regarding all of these fears, you must remember that more than half the Assembly faces reelection and this is their biggest concern. They will be resigning along with me and Viviana and will be replaced by alternates. While they remain in office, they do not want to provide ammunition for the opposition that can be used against them in the campaign. I suggest there will be much less fireworks than some people are suggesting.”