Paraguay election: Prosecutors report arrests, irregularities

Paraguayan prosecutors confirmed arrests and reported irregularities during Sunday's elections, including alleged vote manipulation and identity theft. The Public Ministry detailed interventions across the country, with arrests made in San Lorenzo and Villa Hayes. Prosecutor Sandra Ledesma urged citizens to cooperate more actively in reporting offenses, noting that a suspect apprehended with 10 identity cards claimed the owners had voluntarily handed them over to find their polling stations.

Ledesma also highlighted a peculiar incident in Luque where a wheelchair was used to escort voters into the polling booth, ostensibly to assist the elderly or disabled, but allegedly to influence their votes. A prosecutor ordered the removal of the wheelchair, and no political sector has claimed responsibility for its use. Investigations into alleged tampering with electoral kits in Quyquyhó found no evidence of such violations.

Regarding identity theft, three individuals arrived at their polling stations only to discover that their identities had already been used. The procedure in such cases involves documenting the incident at the polling station for subsequent referral to the Electoral Justice system. Ledesma reminded the public that electoral offenses carry a potential penalty of up to five years in prison, as the Ministry Public remains on high alert to address complaints promptly.