Deputies Use Maneuver to Block Inquiry into Alleged Government "Dirty Campaign"

A request for information concerning a "dirty campaign" allegedly financed by President Santiago Peña's government was rejected by Paraguay's Chamber of Deputies through what opposition lawmakers describe as a "twisted maneuver." The move has drawn sharp criticism, with one deputy accusing the president of "Judas"-like cowardice for not taking responsibility for the alleged actions.

The majority bloc, with alleged assistance from the General Secretary of the Chamber, Carlos Samudio, shelved two information requests. These requests sought details about a supposed "dirty campaign" funded by Peña's administration targeting opposition politicians, dissenting voices, critical media outlets, and journalists. Deputy Raúl Benítez, who filed the request, protested Samudio's actions, noting that the proposals reappeared for approval despite a previous incident where Samudio presented an opposition to requests that no legislator had actually raised.

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This makes what we denounced last week even more serious, where one of the claims we made was how the opposition to a project was read, to which no ruling party colleague had objected. How is there opposition to a project if now it is admitted that it was not even read for approval?

Benítez further highlighted the irregularity, stating that the requests were not approved because Samudio claimed he "did not read" them among those without opposition. The situation was compounded when the ruling party's floor leader, Miguel Del Puerto, proposed and secured approval to send the requests to a commission, effectively burying them indefinitely. Benítez argued this strategy, rather than a simple error, indicated a deliberate effort to obstruct inquiries that might expose the ruling party. He suggested a pre-compiled list of oppositions to such requests might be delivered to the secretariat, urging officials to maintain institutional neutrality.

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The legislative work ends up being prostituted in this way, with requests for information that go and sleep in drawers; before, at least there was opposition, now it seems the technique is that if it is not read, it is directly shelved.