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Paraguayan Pre-Candidate Slams Judiciary as 'Unscrupulous'
🇵🇾 Paraguay /Elections & Politics

Paraguayan Pre-Candidate Slams Judiciary as 'Unscrupulous'

From ABC Color · () Spanish

Translated from Spanish, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Context piece
  • Paraguayan presidential pre-candidate Arnoldo Wiens criticizes the judiciary, calling it "in the hands of unscrupulous people."
  • Wiens cites the "whitewashing" of former minister Ramón Jiménez Gaona in the Metrobús case and concerns over President Santiago Peña's assets.
  • He claims the justice system is manipulated for political reasons, favoring allies and targeting opponents.

Arnoldo Wiens, a presidential pre-candidate for Colorado Añeteté in Paraguay, has strongly criticized the nation's judiciary, stating it is "unfortunately in the hands of these unscrupulous people who are in power." His remarks come in response to what he describes as the "whitewashing" of former Public Works Minister Ramón Jiménez Gaona in the controversial Metrobús case and concerns surrounding the unexplained wealth of President Santiago Peña.

The justice unfortunately is in the hands of these unscrupulous people who are in power

— Arnoldo WiensWiens expressed his strong criticism of the Paraguayan judiciary's current state.

Wiens, speaking during a tour in San Patricio, Misiones, accused the ruling "cartismo" political group of manipulating the justice system. He asserted that the system is used as a "political whitewash" for allies and a "garrote" against opponents. "The institutions that should ensure that the best people become judges and prosecutors are today in the hands of a political group that decides who to release and who to indict or send to prison for political reasons," Wiens stated in an interview with local radio station 99.7 FM.

The institutions that should ensure that the best people become judges and prosecutors are today in the hands of a political group that decides who to release and who to indict or send to prison for political reasons

— Arnoldo WiensWiens elaborated on his view that political influence dictates judicial actions.

He pointed to several examples, including his own case where he is indicted for halting the Metrobús project, while Jiménez Gaona received a definitive dismissal. Wiens highlighted the "convenient" comptroller's report on President Peña's assets, suggesting it contains "many gaps" and is intended to obscure the truth. He also questioned the nomination of prosecutor Aldo Cantero as a judge. Wiens argued that the judiciary and the prosecutor's office are being used as political tools, serving the interests of the current executive branch and attempting to legitimize questionable asset declarations.

we are seeing that Justice or the Prosecutor's Office is used as a political garrote against those who do not think like those in power in the Executive Branch and is used to whitewash as is being attempted with the president's asset declaration

— Arnoldo WiensWiens detailed how he believes the justice system is being politically weaponized.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by ABC Color in Spanish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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