A group of lawmakers from the Colorado Party bench has presented a draft declaration requesting the Central Bank of Paraguay (BCP) and the National Development Bank (BNF) to reinstate the automatic salary debit service for companies that operate legally. The measure was suspended due to a criminal scheme known as the "Promissory Note Mafia."
Deputies Rubén Roussillón, Jatar "Oso" Fernández, Francisco Petersen, and Carlos Núñez Salinas argue that the blanket restrictions applied to the financial system are harming formal companies that comply with regulations. They advocate for the creation of differentiated control protocols that isolate companies involved in fraud but ensure the continuity of the service for legitimate businesses.
The draft, which is merely declarative and does not have the force of law, raises concerns because the automatic debit system was precisely the mechanism exploited by the mafia to collect payment multiple times for the same debt from its victims, who are estimated to number over 17,000. The scheme involved private individuals with alleged complicity from judicial officials.
Meanwhile, the Legislative branch is being criticized for not showing sufficient interest in combating the scheme, with several proposed laws having been shelved. Criminal proceedings continue in the Judicial branch, but many of those implicated, especially court employees, are said to have managed to escape accountability simply by resigning from their posts.