The Senate approved changes to a bill that would provide for up to six years in prison and financial compensation for false accusations, sending it back to the Chamber of Deputies as critics warn that it could discourage legitimate complaints.
Rafael Filizzola
Pytagua coverage mentioning Rafael Filizzola.
Paraguay’s Senate approved requests for information from the Central Bank of Paraguay about Ueno Bank’s operations and expansion, amid questions about public deposits, possible conflicts of interest, and political rivalries involving the institution and Banco Basa.
Senators called for an investigation by the Public Prosecutor’s Office and an internal inquiry by the National Anti-Drug Secretariat (Senad) into the operation in Canindeyú that killed Antonio Carrillo and teacher Catalino Correa, questioning the official account of the two men’s involvement and the use of force.
Paraguay’s Senate is investigating whether IPS requires beneficiaries, retirees and pensioners to open accounts at Ueno Bank to receive loans, following a complaint of a possible monopoly and the concentration of ₲5.1 trillion in state funds at the institution.
Paraguayan public entities are massively resorting to the argument of 'unavoidable urgency' to make purchases without bidding, a practice criticized by Senator Rafael Filizzola, who warns that the legal exception has become the rule.
Paraguayan justice dismissed the investigation for money laundering and influence peddling against former deputy Orlando Arévalo, his wife, former councilwoman Carolina González, and prosecutor Sandra Ledesma, stemming from a contractual dispute with a construction company.
An attack attributed by Paraguay’s government to the EPP and allied criminal groups killed three people at a police post, exposed intelligence failures, and prompted political criticism and security-policy changes.
Senator Gustavo Leite returns to the Paraguayan Senate after 11 months as ambassador to the U.S., defending his diplomatic tenure which included meetings with lawmakers and Trump, while the opposition criticizes the mission's high costs and lack of concrete results.
A teacher reported to the Senate Special Commission a scheme that multiplied purchase debts through compulsory salary deductions, involving companies such as Nueva Visión S.A., which issued multiple authorizations for the same product, inflating amounts originally paid by teachers and public employees.
Opposition Senator Rafael Filizzola accuses the Peña administration of a lack of control and impunity in corruption cases, citing as examples the irregular deposit of IPS (the social security institute) funds in Ueno Bank, the alleged leniency towards former Seprelad (Secretariat for Money Laundering Prevention) head Óscar Boidanich, the shelving of complaints regarding Itaipú, and the president's acquittal in an asset investigation.
The director of Paraguay's social security institute, the IPS, admitted that Ueno Bank exceeds the legal limit for the concentration of pension funds, which an opposition senator called "ridiculous" while calling for an investigation. Meanwhile, President Santiago Peña denied any violation and criticized the public disclosure of the case.
Senator Rafael Filizzola demanded explanations from IPS president Isaías Fretes over the transfer of billions of guaranis from the social security fund to Ueno bank, which is linked to a former business partner of President Santiago Peña, following the relaxation of rules that reduced financial security requirements for the institution.
Senator Rafael Filizzola stated that Paraguayan consumers are paying international prices for beef due to the sector's strong export orientation — around 90% of production is destined for the foreign market — and the high market concentration, in which five slaughterhouses account for approximately 85% of the country's beef processing. He voiced support for a bill that proposes capping the profit margin at 10% on three popular beef cuts.
Soledad Núñez, candidate for mayor of Asunción representing the Unidos por Asunción alliance, met with TSJE authorities to denounce "vote stuffing" and demand stricter oversight in the municipal elections on October 4, including manual vote counting for single-member positions and limiting the number of voters per polling station.
The Supreme Court of Justice of Paraguay unblocked the case against former Interior Minister Rafael Filizzola on Wednesday, June 11. Filizzola is accused of causing a financial loss of G. 1,131,812,500 to the State due to alleged breach of trust. The Court ordered the case file to be sent to the Court of Appeals, First Chamber of the Capital, so that its natural sitting members can resolve the pending appeals, ending a composition conflict that had stalled the case for over a decade.
The Paraguayan Senate passed on Tuesday, June 2, the bill declaring a national road safety emergency for one year, authorizing the ANTSV to adopt exceptional measures for the prevention and enforcement of traffic accidents, including the use of automated speed cameras and radar systems, despite opposition criticism over the lack of technical studies and the broad powers granted to the agency.