Fights, vote-buying allegations mar Paraguay's internal elections

Paraguay's internal municipal elections on June 8 were overshadowed by a series of electoral crimes and unusual incidents reported nationwide. These events, often dubbed 'perlitas' or 'little gems,' highlighted irregularities and tensions during the voting process.

One of the most notable episodes occurred in Quyquyhó, Paraguarí department, where a brawl between Colorado Party supporters escalated into a large-scale fight outside a polling station. The confrontation forced a temporary suspension of voting for several hours. In Yabebyry, Misiones, voting began three hours late after Colorado Añetete representatives denounced alleged irregularities and requested a suspension. The Prosecutor's Office intervened, allowing voting to commence only after 10 a.m.

A peculiar scene unfolded in Encarnación, where an elector arrived at the polling station dressed as the sun, seemingly in a nod to a Cartista pre-candidate named Sol García. This candidate was also observed campaigning inside an electoral facility. Meanwhile, in Fernando de la Mora, police detained Alfonso Orella, a pre-candidate for councilor of the ANR, on suspicion of vote-buying. Authorities seized 3,260,000 Paraguayan guaranis in cash during the operation.

Further allegations emerged from Coronel Bogado, where social media videos depicted individuals entering the voting booth in pairs. Although the Prosecutor's Office could not confirm the act during an inspection, they announced an investigation based on the circulated footage. The influencer Franccesco Nathannael Canatta González, known as 'Masivo bro,' and his mother were detained by fiscal order. Police reported seizing 10,000,000 Paraguayan guaranis from the influencer at the polling station, who claimed he was unaware that displaying cash was prohibited.

The elections concluded at 5 p.m. The Superior Electoral Justice Tribunal (TSJE) noted that in over a decade, they had never witnessed such low voter participation in an election.