Capiatá residents submitted an official request this Wednesday to the city's Municipal Board to revoke the honorary titles of 'Illustrious Citizen' and 'Beloved Son' granted to former senator Erico Galeano. The move follows confirmation of Galeano's 13-year prison sentence for money laundering, criminal association, and drug trafficking in the A Ultranza Py operation.
The document was addressed to Municipal Board president Braulio Riquelme and also sent to other council members. The signatories argue that honorary distinctions should reflect ethical, civic, and moral values, and that keeping them after the conviction would undermine the institutional image of the city and the municipal legislature itself.
In the text, the citizens stress that the title of 'Illustrious Citizen' cannot be seen as a lifetime or automatic benefit, but as a symbol of exemplary conduct for future generations. They maintain that Galeano's conviction sparked strong public outcry and that maintaining any official tribute would contradict the principles of legality and integrity.
The request asks that the matter be urgently referred to the Municipal Board's advisory committees for analysis and subsequent final deliberation, aiming to revoke all recognitions granted to the former lawmaker by the municipality of Capiatá.
Galeano was convicted in one of the most emblematic investigations of the A Ultranza Py operation, which dismantled an asset-laundering scheme tied to drug trafficking. The sentence was upheld by Paraguayan courts, cementing the 13-year prison term.