Diplomatic presence and ministerial interpellation reforms in Bolivia and Chile

In Bolivia, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has rejected allegations that the presence of foreign diplomats during a legislative session on October 2 constituted an act of interference. The Ministry stated that the mere presence of diplomats in institutional and public spaces does not amount to interference and argued that any claims of undue influence must be supported by “objective and verifiable elements” rather than “interpretations or presumptions.” The government emphasized that the decisions of the Plurinational Legislative Assembly are made independently and that diplomatic relations remain governed by the principles of sovereignty and non-intervention.

In Chile, deputies from the Renovación Nacional (RN) party have introduced a constitutional reform project titled the “Responsible Interpellation Law.” The proposal seeks to establish a special regime for questioning the Ministers of Foreign Affairs and National Defense. Under this plan, these ministers could respond to parliamentary inquiries in writing within 15 days instead of being required to appear personally before the Chamber. The project allows for personal appearance only if requested by an absolute majority of the relevant commission and permits secret sessions if the minister deems public disclosure a risk to national security or interest.