Adelita Grijalva, a Democratic nominee, will take the oath in the American Congress today at 4:00 PM (9:00 PM GMT), according to the announcement by Republican leader Mike Johnson.

The 7-week delay of the ceremony has been criticized by the opposition, which claims it was a maneuver to avoid a vote related to the Jeffrey Epstein case. Grijalva will become the 214th elected Democrat, in a context where Republicans hold 219 seats. After the swearing-in, she will sign a petition that would force the Trump administration to release documents related to Epstein, a controversial case that has generated many conspiracy theories.

Mike Johnson explained that the delay was caused by budgetary paralysis, but he opposes the petition, preferring to support government initiatives. The Democratic minority leader, Hakeem Jeffries, accused Republicans of protecting pedophiles, emphasizing that the delay was deliberate.