Paraguay opposition to take Kattya González case to international bodies after court rejects appeal

Paraguay's opposition bloc will escalate the case of former senator Kattya González to international organizations, announcing their intention to file complaints with entities like the Organization of American States (OAS) and the European Community. This move follows the Supreme Court of Justice's (CSJ) majority decision to reject González's appeal against her expulsion from the Senate.

Senator Esperanza Martínez, leader of the democratic bloc, described the court's ruling as a "disastrous precedent" and a "violation" of Senator González's rights. She asserted that the arguments used by the court were "prevaricatory" and "totally unjustifiable." The opposition coalition, which includes senators Rafael Filizzola, Eduardo Nakayama, Esperanza Martínez, Celeste Amarilla, Yolanda Paredes, and Ignacio Iramain, believes that the ruling party cannot simply move past this issue.

Martínez criticized the Supreme Court's reasoning, calling it "childish." She specifically addressed the court's claim that the expulsion regulation had not yet taken effect because it supposedly required approval in the following session. Martínez countered that regulations, like laws, are typically approved and implemented the day after approval. "We want justice for her," she stated, emphasizing the opposition's commitment to seeking redress for González.

Former senator Kattya González expressed her deep pain over the situation, stating, "I am already out, but my country hurts me." She described feeling "killed twice: first in Congress and now in Justice." The CSJ's decision came more than two years after the controversial February 14, 2024 session where González was stripped of her investiture. The opposition plans to present a case to the Inter-American Court of Human Rights as well.