Overview
- The Chamber of Deputies will hold two hearings on March 25 (in person) and March 26 (virtual) with roughly 200 oral speakers per day and the remainder submitting written statements or five‑minute videos via the official YouTube channel.
- Environmental groups including Greenpeace, FARN, RUCC, CEPA and the Association of Environmental Lawyers sought broader oral participation and judicial observers, but at least one federal administrative court denied an injunction and the format stands.
- Organizers Nicolás Mayoraz and José Peluc defend the process as lawful under the Escazú Agreement and internal rules, while access inside the room is limited to members of the two committees and a small number of advisers.
- Public interest is massive, with press reports citing 80,000 to more than 100,000 registrants, meaning fewer than 0.5% will speak live under the two‑day schedule.
- The Senate‑approved reform would narrow periglacial protections and give provinces greater authority over classifications and the glacier inventory, with backers targeting a committee opinion after Easter and a floor vote in early April.