Lord Protector of the Cortes Federales
| Lord Protector of the Cortes Federales
| |
 Coat of arms of Nouvelle Alexandrie Cortes Federales Police | |
| Style |
The Lord Protector Lord Ausangate |
|---|---|
| Seat | Legislative Palace, Cárdenas |
| Nominator | President of the Government |
| Appointer | H.M. the King |
| Term length | At H.M. the King's pleasure |
| Constituting instrument | Cortes Federales Act, 1694, §8 |
| Formation | 1687 AN |
| First holder | Koya Chaupin Rimayhuaman |
The Lord Protector of the Cortes Federales (Wechua: Apu Kalanayak) is the sergeant-at-arms and chief security officer of the Cortes Federales, the bicameral legislature of the Federation of Nouvelle Alexandrie. The Lord Protector heads the Cortes Federales Police, sits ex officio in the Chamber of Peers, and by the office holds the title of Baron of Ausangate. Rooted in an ancient Wechua office, the position combines a practical role in the order and security of the legislature with a ceremonial one: the Lord Protector leads the procession of the Mace of State and opens each session of the Cortes Federales.
The office is established by section 8 of the Cortes Federales Act, 1694. The Lord Protector is appointed by H.M. the King on the advice of the President of the Government and confirmed by a plurality vote of the Chamber of Peers. The current Lord Protector is Sayri Tʼito Waman, Baron of Ausangate.
Origins
The Lord Protector derives from an ancient Wechua office, known by the Wechua title Apu Kalanayak, that was integrated into the Federation's parliamentary structure at the formation of the Cortes Federales.
The first and longest-serving Lord Protector was the retired Army Captain Koya Chaupin Rimayhuaman, appointed by King Manco Cápac on the advice of Premier Alejandro Campos in 1687 AN. He held the office until his death at the age of 93 in 1720 AN. The office has since passed through a succession of appointees, the most recent being the incumbent, Sayri Tʼito Waman, a retired senior officer of the Federal Guards Service, appointed by King Sinchi Roca II in 1746 AN.
Appointment and tenure
Under section 8 of the Cortes Federales Act, 1694, the Lord Protector is appointed by H.M. the King on the advice of the President of the Government and confirmed by a plurality vote of the Chamber of Peers. The Lord Protector is a member of the Chamber of Peers by virtue of the office.
The office carries the title of Baron of Ausangate, styled Lord Ausangate. The Act provides that the title remains conferred on the position of Lord Protector rather than on the individual officeholder, so that it passes with the office to each successive holder and is not retained on leaving it. Further powers and responsibilities may be added by Royal Decree or Act of the Cortes Federales, subject to an approval vote of the Chamber of Peers where at least two Deputies move for one.
Duties and powers
The Lord Protector maintains order within the Cortes Federales while it sits and holds the power of guard over its precincts. As head of the Cortes Federales Police, the Lord Protector polices the Cortes Federales Buildings and Grounds under the direction of the Cortes Police Board, and may make arrests within those buildings and grounds for violations of any law of Nouvelle Alexandrie, of the Federal Capital District, or of any Region. Where additional security is needed, the Speaker of the Federal Assembly or the Lord President of the Chamber of Peers may request that the Government dispatch officers from other law-enforcement agencies, with the Lord Protector's consent.
Beyond keeping order, the office controls the admission of visitors to the Cortes Federales and its precincts, issues admission tickets for the audience galleries of the Federal Assembly and the Chamber of Peers, and may limit the number admitted where order requires it. The Lord Protector gives effect to the rules governing the admission of strangers and holds the powers, including the power to take into custody, needed for that purpose, and takes into custody any person whom the Chamber of Peers orders to be detained. In the absence of the Lord Protector, the appropriate parliamentary police agencies may act in the office's place.
Ceremonial role
The Lord Protector's ceremonial duties are most visible at the Opening of the Cortes Federales. The Lord Protector leads the procession of the Mace of State, an ancient copper-headed star mace representing the authority of the Cortes Federales and the sovereignty of the people, which is carried into the chamber by regional Mace Bearers and placed on its ceremonial stand under the Lord Protector's direction, bringing the legislature formally into session. The Lord Protector also ceremonially locks and unlocks the chamber doors.
For these occasions the Lord Protector wears traditional Wechua ceremonial dress, its patterns and colors set against the formal attire of the members. The Lord Protector delivers a short opening address, traditionally beginning with the Wechua phrase "Huk sunqulla, huk yuyaylla", meaning "with one heart, with one mind" (in Alexandrian, avec un cœur, avec un esprit), a call to national unity across the Federation's diversity.
Cortes Federales Buildings and Grounds
The Lord Protector's policing jurisdiction extends to the Cortes Federales Buildings and Grounds. These center on the Legislative Palace, the seat of the Cortes Federales; the Cortes Federales Act, 1694 further brings within the term the buildings and grounds of the Library of the Cortes Federales, the Primo de Aguilar Office Building, the Alfonso Velez Office Building, and the Marco Zimmer Administration and Office Building, together with any building or facility acquired for the use of the Cortes Federales for which the Lord Protector has entered into a policing agreement with the Cortes Federales Police.
Funding
Funding for the Lord Protector is provided from the budget of the Federal Assembly, supplemented by income from the tourist facilities, gift shops, and vending concessions operated within the Cortes Federales buildings.
List of Lord Protectors
| # | Lord Protector | Term | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Koya Chaupin Rimayhuaman | 1687 AN-1720 AN | First and longest-serving Lord Protector; retired Army Captain; appointed by King Manco Cápac; died in office aged 93. |
| 2 | Willka Tʼito Yupanki | 1720 AN-1734 AN | A retired provincial magistrate. |
| 3 | Chaska Puma Inkill | 1734 AN-1746 AN | The first woman to hold the office. |
| 4 | Sayri Tʼito Waman | 1746 AN-present | Incumbent; retired officer of the Federal Guards Service; appointed by King Sinchi Roca II. |
