At an institutional event held Wednesday, 20 May, in the Chamber of Deputies, Cartist lawmakers Rocío Abed and Yamil Esgaib, chairs of the organizing committees, showed little regard for the right to information and transparency.
The event, titled “The Right of Access to Public Information and Government Transparency in Paraguay,” had Abed and Esgaib as its main speakers. However, Abed did not attend, citing health issues, and sent Deputy Bettina Aguilera as her representative. Esgaib delivered an emphatic opening speech and then left the venue, citing prior commitments.
“It is important to place at the center of the debate a fundamental pillar of the Republic: the right to know. From the committee I chair, we understand that justice is built not only in the courts, but every time a citizen accesses real information about how their resources are managed,” Esgaib said during his remarks.
The irony, critics point out, is that Esgaib is one of the lawmakers who is most aggressive toward journalists and frequently blocks opposition information requests in the Lower House. In recent sessions, he did not support transparency requests regarding the Social Security Institute (IPS) and other bodies.
After Esgaib left, Deputy Bettina Aguilera and Justice Minister Rodrigo Nicora also departed, both citing prior commitments. Clara Aquino, director of Transparency at the Comptroller General’s Office, sent a representative for the same reason. Elida Acosta, an advisor to the Transparency Directorate of the Supreme Court of Justice, also did not attend.
The Vice Presidency's Human Rights Director, María Teresa Peralta, gave a presentation considered insubstantial, merely reading a summary of actions already available on the institution’s website. Finally, Laura Salinas from the Ministry of Information and Communication Technologies (Mitic) was added to the list of speakers at the last minute.