Paraguayan legislator asks for 'death certificate' date after hearing leaders plot 'political assassination'

Paraguayan legislator Raúl Benítez has dramatically requested the date of his "death certificate" to prepare for his "grand farewell," after overhearing congressional leaders discuss his potential "political assassination." The independent deputy characterized the conversation between the presidents of both chambers of Congress and the head of the Supreme Court as having "mafia codes."

The incident occurred when an open microphone captured a conversation between the President of the Chamber of Deputies, Raúl Latorre, and the President of the Senate, Basilio “Bachi” Núñez, alongside the President of the Supreme Court, Alberto Martínez Simón. During the exchange, Latorre chillingly stated that Benítez "wants to follow the path of his leader (Kattya González) to martyrdom." Benítez, interpreting this as a clear indication of a politically motivated expulsion, sarcastically requested to be informed of the "death certificate" date to organize a "huge farewell."

Benítez drew parallels between this conversation and the expulsion of former senator Kattya González, which he described as a violation of Senate regulations, later legitimized by a majority of Supreme Court ministers. He believes this conversation reveals a "mafia code" where individuals not aligned with the ruling party's "business project" are targeted for "martyrdom" or "guillotination."

The legislator asserted that the conversation exposed the impunity felt by Núñez, Latorre, and the head of the Supreme Court. He believes they operate with a "list of expulsable legislators" aimed at silencing critical voices. Benítez contrasted President Santiago Peña's rhetoric about unprecedented democracy with the reality exposed by the open microphone, accusing the ruling party of not tolerating any voices outside their own. He compared the situation to fictional "narco" series where hitmen await orders from a supreme boss to eliminate targets.