Indigenous communities seek investigation and Indi intervention over alleged diversion of emergency aid

Indigenous communities in Capiibary are demanding an investigation after alleging that emergency aid was diverted for political purposes following a severe storm and hailstorm.

The organization Teko Tee and seven Indigenous communities said National Emergency Secretariat teams arrived on September 3 to verify damage and provide assistance. According to the groups, the brigades were allegedly guided toward other areas linked to electoral interests instead of visiting affected families.

The organizations named mayoral candidate Scherd Nelson Silva González and members of his team as alleged participants. Community leaders supported their complaint with National Police documents certifying damage to houses made of sheet metal and tarpaulin. They are asking for an immediate investigation and a public explanation of how resources were distributed.

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There may be some kind of accompaniment, but not just for the photo.

They also called for urgent intervention by Hugo Ramón Samaniego Hermosilla, president of Paraguay’s Indigenous Institute, and for an investigation into the National Emergency Secretariat officials involved in the operation.

Emergency minister Arsenio Zárate denied political bias. He said the executive branch had instructed the agency to assist everyone affected by natural disasters and that it did not discriminate based on religion or origin. He added that the agency would not assist people who had suffered no actual losses, but said he would examine the Capiibary complaints and provide answers if affected people had been excluded.

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We assist everyone affected by natural causes.