UNA Law students accuse political actors of exploiting chat scandal days before dean election

The leaked-chat scandal at Paraguay’s National University of Asunción Law Faculty has become the latest battleground in an already tense dean’s election. The faculty will choose between Marco Aurelio González and Bonifacio Ríos on Friday, September 11.

The UNA Law Students’ Center says the controversy is being used for political purposes. Its president, Nicolás Granado, alleges that threats of lawsuits have followed efforts to uncover a network of favoritism, influence peddling and academic punishment inside the faculty.

“Now we are the ones being threatened with defamation and libel actions, with threats of lawsuits because we want to get to the bottom of this matter. And I, as president of the student center, will not give in to those threats,” Granado said.

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Now we are the ones being threatened with defamation and libel actions, with threats of lawsuits because we want to get to the bottom of this matter. And I, as president of the student center, will not give in to those threats.

The controversy became public after screenshots circulated showing alleged requests to influence grades, rewarding some students and failing others. Alejandro “Tratito” Ovelar, the son of Senator Silvio “Beto” Ovelar, emerged as a central figure in WhatsApp conversations involving students, graduates and teaching staff. The allegations also touch other student representatives and professors, including current and former appellate judges who teach at the faculty.

Granado said student representatives must protect academic security and transparency for everyone, ensuring that students are not affected in their grades because they belong to one internal faction or another. He called the timing of the leak unfortunate, saying it could be used to discredit a legitimate complaint about the lack of guarantees in academic processes.

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It is sad that the leak coincides with the elections, because perhaps they are trying to politicize the situation, which is already politicized, but now they intend to discredit a legitimate complaint.