Báez advocates for tolerance after tense debate with Alfredo Pacheco

José David Báez clarifies incident with Alfredo Pacheco and advocates for respect in the chamber

The spokesperson for the Fuerza del Pueblo (FP) bench in the Chamber of Deputies, José David Báez, spoke out this Thursday following the tense exchange that occurred during Wednesday’s legislative session with the body’s president, Alfredo Pacheco. The legislator called for tolerance and mutual respect as fundamental pillars of political debate.

Báez emphasized that the altercation does not have a personal background against Pacheco. As he explained, his firm stance in the chamber responds strictly to his responsibility to protect the rights of his party bloc and ensure that the internal regulations of the Chamber of Deputies are faithfully complied with.

The root of the conflict

The deputy explained that his reaction originated when, after being alluded to by the President of the Chamber, he was denied the right of reply. Given this situation, the Fuerza del Pueblo bloc chose to withdraw from the session hall as a legitimate protest measure, defending the space for participation that corresponds to them in the formation of the permanent commissions.

What we did was based on the regulations of this institution. We believe there must be tolerance in the subject of debate, which is what we came here for. The Fuerza del Pueblo is a party bloc that respects itself and, in that sense, we demand the same.

A call for order and institutionalism

Despite the intensity of the moment experienced on Wednesday, Báez ruled out that this episode would escalate into a personal enmity with Alfredo Pacheco. The congressman reiterated that his commitment is to maintain a firm line of work in defense of his political ideals, but always within the margins of institutionalism and the respect that Dominican society demands of its representatives.

The legislator concluded by pointing out that, although the confrontation of ideas is natural in the legislative sphere, it is imperative that the authorities and the members of the different benches foster an environment where dialogue and the fair application of parliamentary rules prevail.