Washington, D.C. – The prolonged federal government shutdown
reached its 35th day on Tuesday, following another Senate vote in which
Democrats rejected for the fourteenth time a proposal aimed at partially
reopening government operations.
The government shutdown, already one of the longest in
modern U.S. history, has left hundreds of thousands of federal employees
without pay and has disrupted various public services, from civil aviation to
border security.
During a press conference, Senate Majority Leader John Thune
acknowledged the growing tension within Congress as bipartisan negotiations
continue toward a funding agreement.
“I hope we’re close, but the pressure, the mutual pressure
we all feel, is enormous,” Thune said, referring to the climate of political
exhaustion that dominates the bipartisan talks.
As the shutdown drags on, the repercussions on the national
economy are mounting. Analysts estimate that each day of government paralysis
generates losses in the millions, while sectors such as transportation, food
security, and citizen services operate with reduced or suspended staff.
In the Senate, Democrats have maintained their stance of not
passing any budget resolution that does not include specific safeguards for
social programs and assistance for undocumented immigrants, while Republicans
insist on moving forward with a temporary measure that would allow the
government to reopen and negotiations to continue.
Legislative sources confirmed that talks are continuing
behind closed doors, although ideological differences and internal pressures
within both parties are hindering the possibility of an immediate agreement.
With more than a month of shutdown, the political crisis is
beginning to generate concern among citizens and the business sector, which is
demanding an urgent solution to prevent a greater impact on economic stability
and institutional confidence.