Sister of Senator, Mother-in-Law of Candidate Sworn in as Deputy Defenders

The Supreme Court of Justice has sworn in two women into deputy defender roles, sparking controversy due to their familial ties to prominent political figures. Nancy María Diana Amarilla Guirland, sister of Senator Dionisio Amarilla, and Nancy María Ortiz Moreira de Souto, mother-in-law of presidential candidate Pedro Alliana, both took oaths as deputy defenders.

The ceremony was presided over by the first vice president of the Supreme Court, Luis María Benítez Riera, and the general defender, Dr. Javier Dejesús Esquivel. The presence of Alicia Pucheta, president of the Jurado de Enjuiciamiento de Magistrados (JEM), also marked the event. Pucheta's own political trajectory has been subject to scrutiny, including a past resignation from the Court under the condition of becoming Paraguay's first female president.

Amarilla Guirland, who has been a court official since 2013, is currently on leave from the Judiciary to serve at Itaipú Binacional, earning a judicial salary of G. 10,800,000. Concurrently, she holds a position at the National University of Asunción, where her brother previously served as administrator, with a salary of G. 4,169,702.

Ortiz de Souto, now a Deputy Defender of Children and Adolescents, has been a public defender since 2019 and earns a salary of G. 18 million. The appointments have faced opposition, with accusations of political favoritism and potential violations of the constitution, particularly concerning Pucheta's role in the JEM.