Paraguay Senate Demands Clarity on Fatal Police Shooting, Minister Accused of "Militarization"

Paraguay's Senate has passed a resolution urging Interior Minister Enrique Riera to clarify a police operation in Alberdi that led to the death of 22-year-old Federick Nahuel Cáceres Sosa. Legislators from both ruling and opposition parties have labeled the incident a possible case of "trigger-happy" policing and have sharply criticized the Ministry of the Interior's leadership.

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I want to think one thing, I want to think badly: he wants to militarize Paraguay.

Senator Carlos Núñez Agüero leveled the most severe accusations against Minister Riera, holding him responsible for the deterioration of security and the reorganization of police command. Núñez stated that President Santiago Peña appointed Riera with the expectation of improving citizen security, but the results have been contrary, citing the young man's death. He also condemned Riera's public comments that such incidents "just happen," calling it a "worrying normalization" of these events.

Núñez further suggested that Riera aims to centralize control of the National Police, even speculating, "I want to think one thing, I want to think badly: he wants to militarize Paraguay." He criticized the relocation of the National Police Command to a different building and argued that the police commander has lost authority to the minister. This situation, he claimed, represents an attempt to "grab everything," while insecurity continues to rise, evidenced by recent bank robberies.

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The death of a citizen at the hands of the police cannot be normalized.

Senator Ever Villalba of the Liberal Party supported the Senate's declaration, emphasizing the need for a thorough investigation. He particularly criticized the Ministry of the Interior for downplaying the incident, stating, "The death of a citizen at the hands of the police cannot be normalized." The senators' concerns highlight a growing tension over the ministry's approach to public security and the perceived concentration of power.

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Such things happen.