As of February 17, the province of San Luis will implement a “Narcotest” mandatory for employees of the three powers of the State, as part of the Law of exemplarity and coherenceapproved in November 2024. This regulation, which seeks to guarantee transparency in public management, includes more than 1500 provincial officials, including the governor himself, Claudio Poggi, and his vice governor, Ricardo Endeiza.
The process of applying these toxicological exams will be carried out by the Faculty of Chemistry, Biochemistry and Pharmacy of the National University of San Luis. The officials will be selected through a raffle organized by the local lottery, and in a first draw, 100 officials will be chosen. The number of each will be delivered to the Social and Financial Fund of the Province, which will be responsible for coordinating the raffles and the subsequent notification.
The procedure consists of a urine test to detect traces of illegal drugs such as cocaine, marijuana, amphetamines, among other substances. The regulations establish that the test will be carried out annually and randomly. In total, analysis will be carried out by batches of 100 officials, until all public employees in the province are subjected to Narcotest.
The law covers a wide range of officials, including the members of the Cabinet, Secretaries of State, Directors, Heads of Areas, and the officials of the decentralized entities. In addition, Narcotest will also apply to provincial legislators already members of the Judiciary, such as Judges of the Superior Court of Justice, Judges of First Instance, Camperistas and Prosecutors.
In the event that illegal substances are detected in an official, the legislation establishes that containment and assistance measures will be applied, which may include licenses, temporary suspension of functions or, in more serious cases, the cessation in office, depending on the case. All this in accordance with the Provincial Constitution and current legislation.
The first draws will be held on Monday, February 17, and the first selected officials will receive a notification by WhatsApp and Email. The presence of a scribe would certify the transparency of the process. The officials will have a 24 -hour period to present themselves to carry out the evaluation.
The Secretary of Public Ethics and Management Control, Ricardo BazlaHe explained that each official will be represented by a number, which will be randomly assigned. In case of not presenting or refusing to perform the test, the executive power official will cease in their functions. For their part, those of the Judiciary or the Legislative Power that oppose the process may face a political trial or undergo a jury of prosecution.
The San Luis government has reported that each official must cover the costs of the test, which are estimated at around 40,000 pesos. According to Bazla, this measure aims to ensure that public officials are in optimal conditions for the exercise of their responsibilities, reinforcing citizenship confidence in public administration.
With the application of this law, San Luis seeks to promote a more transparent and responsible government, guaranteeing that all public employees work in a substance -free environment that may affect their performance. This initiative marks an important step in the effort to eradicate corruption and ensure that officials act with integrity and for the benefit of the common good.
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