The president of the Paraguayan Congress, Basilio “Bachi” Núñez, reaffirmed his confidence in the Superior Court of Electoral Justice (TSJE) and classified any prior questioning of the electronic voting system as “harmful to democracy.” In statements this Monday (18), Núñez said that criticism comes from sectors that fear losing elections. “It seems more like we are losing the game and want to open an umbrella. Who is going to win, why would they be afraid?” he questioned.
Núñez recalled that the ruling party has only one representative on the TSJE, compared to two from previous administrations, and that the legal deadlines for party audits expired in February. He does not oppose a draft declaration in the Senate requesting additional checks, as long as it is within the electoral schedule. Senator Éver Villalba (PLRA) proposed reviewing 10% of the machines and opening the so-called “envelope four” at the end of voting.
The president of Congress also mocked the opposition, noting that the unblocking system and electronic voting machines were its banners when he was a deputy. He announced that he will propose to his bench a bill to expand electoral reform, allowing voters to unblock and choose up to two candidates of their preference within the lists.
On another front, Núñez confirmed that he is aligned with the proposal of independent senator Eduardo Nakayama to verify the authenticity of the academic degrees of Congress employees. After a phone call with Nakayama, Núñez said: “I think that, as the Legislative Branch, we cannot remain aloof, first, to review the house, to see how we are. And then go to the other branches as well, or have them do the same.”
He admitted that the initiative arises amid doubts about former member of the Magistrates Council Hernán Rivas, but stressed that the focus is to verify whether the State pays undue bonuses for degrees. Núñez guaranteed that, with the new registration system, these irregularities no longer occur in the Senate. “This does not happen here in the Senate, in Congress, because with the new registration system you don’t get an extra simply because you are a professional,” he concluded.