On July 15, the Paraguayan society once again witnessed the injustice of its judicial system. Hugo Javier González, the former governor of the Central Department, was granted freedom of movement despite being sentenced to 10 years for breach of trust and production of false documents. This is more than just another unequal ruling; it reveals a severe crisis within the judicial system itself, which fails to prevent impunity in public corruption cases and detains countless unconvicted individuals without trial.
Former Governor González and his former chief of staff, Miguel Ángel Robles, were released after serving the minimum sentence of six months for their charges, in accordance with the constitutional provision that "pre-trial detention cannot exceed the minimum sentence period." They were sentenced to 10 years for breach of trust and production of false documents, and five former public officials were also convicted in the same case.
Such instances are not limited to the González case. Óscar Ñoño Núñez, brother of the President of Congress Basilio Núñez, also enjoyed similar privileges. Despite being sentenced to 11 years, he was released on 53 billion guaraníes (approximately 9.5 billion KRW) bail after serving the minimum sentence. Núñez was sentenced to 11 years in December 2023 for breach of trust, administration for private gain, and production and use of false documents.
There is also the case of Froilán Peralta, former rector of the National University. Although he received a final conviction, he is serving his sentence under house arrest due to health reasons. While this case differs from the previous two in that a final conviction was reached, it cannot escape criticism that the judicial system provides privileges to those in power.
While these politicians await their final verdicts in the comfort of their homes, over 10,000 people are detained in Paraguay without having received a trial. According to 2023 data, out of a total of 17,712 inmates, only 5,597 have been convicted. There is no need to even mention the hundreds of cases of individuals who have completed their sentences but are not released because they do not have the same opportunities.
As Óscar Arnulfo Romero, Bishop of El Salvador, once said, "Justice is like a snake; it only bites those who are barefoot," a statement that precisely fits the reality of Paraguay.
Judicial System in Crisis and Widespread Corruption
Esther Roa, a lawyer and activist, criticized Paraguay's judicial system as being in crisis, particularly for favoring those with economic resources, which prevents corruption cases from progressing. She protested, "We are facing a crisis today because people convicted of corruption no longer go to prison, nor do they return what they stole." Roa added that over the past few years, 14 high-level corruption cases have been closed due to the expiration of the statute of limitations.
At one point, the Paraguayan Bar Association sent a letter to the Supreme Court, warning about impunity. They pointed out that lawsuits against former ministers, heads of public institutions, judges, mayors, and even members of Congress had resulted in losses of over 9 trillion guaraníes (approximately 1.3 billion USD) to the national treasury.
All corruption is deplorable, but corruption committed during the pandemic is even more inexcusable. While Paraguayans suffered, dying in hospital corridors and waiting for ICU beds, medicines, and ventilators, those in power exploited the moment of crisis for personal gain.
The complicity of politicians in Congress must also not be forgotten. In 2021, despite allegations of illegal activities during his term and two prosecutorial investigations, the former governor of the Central Department was able to avoid intervention with the support of pro-government lawmakers from Honor Colorado and Añetete. This is a clear example of how political collusion significantly influences the cover-up of corruption.
Corruption is a disaster for the nation, with terrible consequences, especially for the most vulnerable communities. But furthermore, impunity undermines democracy itself by making citizens lose faith in justice and democracy. It must be clearly understood that in public corruption, the victims are the people of Paraguay.
The judicial system must be applied fairly to all citizens. If the application of the law varies depending on power and wealth, societal trust will collapse, and the very foundation of democracy will be shaken. Without fundamental reform and transparency in Paraguay's judicial system, public corruption will continue to go unpunished, and its victims will be the people.
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