Councilor accuses rival of vandalizing campaign poster amid financial disclosures

A heated electoral dispute has erupted in Ciudad del Este, Paraguay, with city councilor Valeria Romero accusing rival candidate Rigoberto Chamorro of vandalizing her campaign poster. Romero, a member of the Yo Creo party, broadcasted the alleged damage live on Facebook, claiming Chamorro replaced her poster with his own campaign banners.

During the live broadcast, Romero directly confronted Chamorro, stating, "You have to learn to play clean, to campaign cleanly, this is not how it's done. Not even with all the money together, the money of the Zacarías, of Cartes, that they have, will you win the elections." She further accused her political adversaries of using the justice system against Miguel Prieto, aiming to disqualify him from a potential presidential run in 2028.

Adding a financial dimension to the dispute, recent disclosures to the Superior Electoral Justice Tribunal (TSJE) reveal significant disparities in campaign funding. Rigoberto Chamorro reported having G. 950 million available, with G. 750 million from his own resources and G. 200 million from financial institutions, and no third-party contributions. In contrast, Daniel Pereira Mujica, another candidate from Yo Creo, declared G. 100 million. Councilor Romero herself reported G. 40 million for her campaign, a sum that observers note seems disproportionate to her visible campaign efforts.