The Comptroller General's Office (CGR), Paraguay's fiscal control body, has granted a 20-day extension to Juan Gregorio Escobar Núñez, a former councilman from Ybycuí and father-in-law of ex-senator Hernán Rivas, for him to present his defense regarding asset inconsistencies. The oversight body identified six preliminary observations related to the acquisition and construction of a luxurious residence in Lambaré, where Rivas currently lives.
Escobar and his wife, Silvina Franco, are the registered owners of the property, located in the gated community "Paseo de Los Mangos." The main issue raised by the CGR is the origin of the funds for the purchase of the land, valued at G. 748 million in 2021. The couple's financial records do not show the capacity for such an investment, as in 2018, Escobar declared having only G. 45 million in liquid assets and their combined monthly income was approximately G. 13 million. Furthermore, there is no record of any loan to finance the purchase.
Construction of the two-story mansion, featuring extensive glass, a swimming pool, and an event area, began in late 2022, a period when Hernán Rivas was serving as a deputy and a representative on the Jurado de Enjuiciamiento de Magistrados (JEM), the body responsible for trying and removing magistrates. The work picked up pace again in late 2024, by which time Rivas was in the Senate, shortly before he resigned due to the scandal involving the alleged falsification of his law degree.
Parallel to his father-in-law's case, the ex-senator is facing a process at the CGR for failing to submit his asset declaration upon leaving office and is awaiting a public oral trial on the charge of using a false public document.