Judicial Delay Threatens Impunity for Ex-Mayor Convicted of Embezzlement

Former Mariscal Estigarribia mayor Eladio Alcaraz, convicted of embezzling over G. 1 billion in public funds, may escape punishment due to significant judicial delays. A conviction for G. 1.054 million in Fonacide resources, confirmed by the Boquerón Court of Appeals in October 2025, is now at risk of becoming moot.

Alcaraz was found guilty in March 2026 of breach of trust for diverting funds designated for the National Fund for Public Investment and Development (Fonacide) during his 2013 municipal administration. He was sentenced to four years and six months in prison. However, he filed an extraordinary appeal for cassation on October 29, 2025, to avoid incarceration.

More than eight months have passed since Alcaraz filed his appeal, and the Criminal Chamber has yet to rule on the case. This excessive judicial delay, in a case initiated in 2017, raises serious concerns about impunity. The prosecution demonstrated that Alcaraz misappropriated G. 1.054 million from Fonacide funds out of the G. 3.936 billion his municipality received that year, which also included royalties and gambling revenue.

Anti-corruption organization Somos Anticorrupción has repeatedly urged the Criminal Chamber to resolve Alcaraz's appeal, known as a "chicana," which is used to delay legal proceedings. Despite these calls, no resolution has been reached, leaving the potential for the former mayor to evade justice.