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Deputies stall probe into prosecutor's threat, as president meets AG

Deputies stall probe into prosecutor's threat, as president meets AG

From ABC Color · (11m ago) Spanish Critical tone

Translated from Spanish, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

TLDR

  • Paraguay's Chamber of Deputies postponed a session to summon the Attorney General, Emiliano Rolón, to discuss the threat against prosecutor Patricia Sánchez.
  • Critics argue the delay, led by the ruling party, is to protect Senator Hernán Rivas, who faces accusations.
  • President Santiago Peña, who also faces unrelated criminal complaints, met with Rolón, raising concerns about potential conflicts of interest.

The Chamber of Deputies in Paraguay is once again deferring a crucial session, this time to question Attorney General Emiliano Rolón regarding the alleged threat against prosecutor Patricia Sánchez. This delay, orchestrated by the ruling party, is seen by many as a blatant attempt to shield Senator Hernán Rivas, who is currently on leave and embroiled in controversy. The cartista bloc's flimsy excuse of not wanting to 'pressure' another branch of government rings hollow, especially when considering President Santiago Peña's recent meeting with Rolón. Peña himself is facing unrelated criminal complaints, and his administration's apparent coziness with the Attorney General's office raises serious questions about institutional integrity and potential conflicts of interest.

todavía no tenemos consenso porque colegas de algunas bancadas (cartista) son renuentes a esa convocatoria teniendo en cuenta que el Fiscal General del Estado es otros poder, entonces ahí hay unas consideraciones que atender

— Hugo MezaVicepresidente first of the Chamber, deputy Hugo Meza (ANR, B), explaining the reluctance to convene the Attorney General.

This situation highlights a pattern of political maneuvering designed to obstruct justice and protect allies within the ruling party. The opposition, represented by figures like Congressman Raúl Benítez, rightly points out the hypocrisy of the cartistas' supposed respect for institutional boundaries. Benítez's frustration is palpable as he notes that while the ruling party obstructs a legitimate inquiry, President Peña is openly meeting with the very official whose office is meant to be independent. The lack of progress on the complaints against Peña, including those related to his alleged ties with Banco Ueno, further fuels suspicions of a system designed to protect the powerful.

Ojalá Peña no le haya preguntado al fiscal general del Estado sobre su causa que nunca se abrió, con la denuncia que hicimos el año pasado con sus vínculos con el Banco Ueno. (...) El fiscal general de Estado hasta ahora no dio una sola respuesta respecto a la causa de la denuncia que nosotros hicimos con la colega Johanna Ortega y otros legisladores contra el presidente de la República

— Raúl BenítezCongressman Raúl Benítez expressing suspicion about President Peña's meeting with the Attorney General and the lack of progress on complaints against the president.

From our perspective at ABC Color, this is not just about a single case; it's about the erosion of trust in our institutions. The Attorney General's office, instead of acting as an impartial arbiter, appears to be increasingly influenced by political pressures. The fact that Rolón's meetings with the President are now being logged, after past clandestine visits were revealed, suggests a move towards transparency, but the underlying issues of political interference remain. The cartista party's control over which cases advance and which remain frozen underscores the deep-seated problems within our justice system. Rolón, in this narrative, is reduced to a pawn in a larger political game, serving the interests of the ruling elite rather than the public good.

Él (Peña) tiene dos cuestiones pendientes (ante la justicia) y hoy tenemos que el Fiscal General lo visita. O sea, que el conflicto de intereses está a la vista

— Raúl BenítezCongressman Raúl Benítez highlighting the perceived conflict of interest due to President Peña's meeting with the Attorney General while facing legal complaints.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by ABC Color in Spanish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.