Disinformation network: Prosecutors urged to investigate alleged use of public money after new revelations

The new conciliation agreement between businessman Christian Chena and Yecika Magle Bracho Atacho, whose telephone line is linked to the Despierta Paraguay portal, has intensified pressure on a criminal case in Paraguay.

Ezequiel Santagada, who represents complainant Hugo Portillo alongside lawyer Cecilia Pérez, said the new evidence requires a response from the Public Prosecutor’s Office. He argued that the central question is whether state resources were diverted to finance smear campaigns against journalists and media outlets.

Santagada distinguished Chena’s private legal action from the criminal investigation arising from Portillo’s complaint. Chena’s case sought punishment for individual defamation, he said, while the criminal inquiry examines the alleged improper use of public funds to create a system aimed at pursuing dissenting voices. That suspicion previously led the attorney general to form a special team from the economic crimes and cybercrime divisions.

The defense wants prosecutors to formally question Bracho, whom it describes as someone with knowledge of the alleged disinformation structure, including its internal operations, contacts and payments for social-media advertising. Santagada also called for personal protection measures, saying the information she possesses makes protection essential. If prosecutors do not act on their own initiative, the complainants plan to file a formal request seeking her summons.

The case also touches Alejandra Saldivar, the current communications vice minister at the Ministry of Information and Communication Technologies. She has been identified as having previous links to agencies involved in the matter. Santagada said that a prior relationship does not automatically constitute a crime, but represents an indication requiring attention.