Asunción mayoral race: 'Nenecho's' baggage weighs on ruling party's campaign

Asunción, Paraguay – The upcoming municipal primaries on June 7th for the mayoralty of Asunción are proving to be anything but a mere formality for Camilo Pérez, the pre-candidate for the ruling Honor Colorado (HC) movement. Instead of a smooth path to victory, Pérez finds himself weighed down by the "cat bag" – a term used to describe the internal chaos and the disastrous legacy of former mayor Óscar "Nenecho" Rodríguez and his associates, who are now seeking re-election as councilors.

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The catastrophic management in Asunción of the cartista Óscar “Nenecho” Rodríguez and his accomplices who seek re-election in the council are the anchors of the pre-candidate for mayor of the capital by Honor Colorado, Camilo Pérez, who assures that the June primaries will be a mere formality.

The Holy Week period, rather than offering a moment for serene reflection within the HC camp, starkly exposed the deep-seated rivalries simmering within the movement. The central figures in this internal drama include the controversial and legally embattled former mayor, Óscar "Nenecho" Rodríguez (who is running for councilor outside the main HC ticket), his wife, Senator Lizarella Valiente, and the current acting mayor, Luis Bello. The fallout has also implicated the President of the Chamber of Deputies and Pérez's campaign chief, Raúl Latorre, as well as councilor César "Ceres" Escobar, one of the 11 HC councilors complicit in Rodríguez's administration.

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The "cat bag" in the officialist tent was exposed during the recent Holy Week soap opera.

The public spat began on "Treachery Wednesday" when Rodríguez publicly denounced Bello as "Judas" for distancing himself, while also attacking Latorre, Bello's "political godfather." The conflict escalated from administrative issues to personal attacks exchanged on social media. Luis Bello, who succeeded Rodríguez last August after initially endorsing his management from the Municipal Council presidency, retaliated by labeling Rodríguez's tenure a "disaster." This public admission by the current mayor validates the long-standing public criticism regarding the state of Asunción's infrastructure and finances under Rodríguez's leadership. His resignation in August 2025, just before facing impeachment, followed a damning intervention report confirming the illegal diversion of funds intended for infrastructure to cover current expenses, leaving the municipality in severe financial distress. The prosecutor's office is currently reviewing the case, and Rodríguez faces at least eight criminal charges, including fraud and criminal association related to the "golden detergents" scandal.

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He called Bello a “Judas” for his distancing, also attacking the “political godfather” of the current head of the municipality, Raúl Latorre.