The family of prosecutor Marcelo Pecci, murdered in Colombia in 2022, marked the fourth anniversary of the crime this Sunday with a mass in Asunción. In statements to the press, Francisco Pecci, the victim's brother, said that Paraguayan justice is 'delayed' and that expressions of sorrow from authorities are hollow without effective convictions.
Francisco Pecci criticized the presence of former Attorney General Sandra Quiñónez at the religious ceremony. 'I respect her presence in a church, but the tears, flowers, and tributes mean nothing to us. A year and a half passed under her administration and we saw not a single result,' he stated. He also pointed to failures in the administration of current Attorney General Emiliano Rolón, calling it 'shameful' that the prosecutor's office in Paraguay only opened a case a year and a half after the crime, and only due to pressure from news coming out of Colombia.
For the family, the Paraguayan justice system faces a 'karma' that will not be overcome without punishing the killers of its own agents. 'If in this country those who kill police officers, judges, and prosecutors are not punished, what are we asking of the system? What is the value of a magistrate's life?' Francisco questioned.
He appealed to the Supreme Court of Justice to resolve a constitutional challenge that would allow the family to actively participate in the process. He denounced that 'ridiculous' arguments are used to keep victims defenseless, preventing them even from learning about the prosecutorial investigations.
The Pecci family warned that the difference between a rule-of-law state and a 'narco-nation' lies precisely in the ability to respond to such attacks. 'Narco-politics is fully present. The governing class and the justice system need to send a clear signal that there is no impunity here, but with Marcelo's case, clearly that is not the current situation,' Francisco concluded.