The Chamber of Deputies of Paraguay currently has nine requests for removal of parliamentary immunity, but the Chamber’s president, Raúl Latorre, acknowledges there is no intention to address these requests individually. According to him, the situation is a "mathematical issue": for any removal to be approved, there would need to be an agreement to lift immunity for all the deputies involved, in an "all or nothing" arrangement.
Among the deputies with pending immunity removal requests are Mauricio Espínola (ANR, Añeteté), Esteban Samaniego (ANR, HC), the liberals Cleto Marcelino Giménez and Roya Torres, as well as opposition member Walter García (Yo Creo). The most recent case involves Espínola, who is accused of involuntary manslaughter following a traffic accident.
Latorre explained that removal of immunity requires a two-thirds majority, and no single bloc holds the 53 votes needed. Additionally, deputies from different parties face requests against them, complicating any isolated agreement. He avoided commenting on the merits of the cases, focusing instead on the political dynamics within the Chamber.
Deputy Espínola is reportedly considering requesting his own removal of immunity in the accident case, in which he assisted the victim and tested negative on a breathalyzer. However, there is another immunity removal request against him related to an allegation of leaking confidential information during official duties, involving former president and Honor Colorado leader Horacio Cartes.
This second case against Espínola has a history of suspected political interference, with leaked conversations between Cartes’ lawyer, Pedro Ovelar, and then-prosecutor Aldo Cantero, who allegedly received orders to carry out specific actions. The accusation was filed by new prosecutors with little time for review, reinforcing suspicions of political manipulation.
The Cartes-aligned faction, known as the cartistas, is interested in stripping Espínola of immunity, as he is one of the most critical dissident deputies, but this would also mean allowing Esteban Samaniego to face four judicial proceedings. Samaniego is mainly accused of patrimonial damage during his tenure as mayor of Quyquyhó, involving his family, including his wife, former mayor Patricia Corvalán.
Furthermore, Samaniego faces three cases related to physical violence, including a 2019 incident in which a woman accused him of verbal aggression and threats while she was working as an access controller at a football match. Recently, he was involved in violent episodes during the Colorado Party primaries on June 7.
Other pending immunity removal requests include those against liberal deputies Cleto Marcelino Giménez and Roya Torres, accused of improper fee collection, allegedly as "ghost employees." While their children have already received conditional releases, the deputies resist losing their immunity. In Roya Torres’ case, she may be forced to relinquish immunity starting October 4 if elected mayor of Presidente Franco.
Deputy Walter García, from the Yo Creo party, faces an immunity removal request for alleged breach of trust as an accomplice, in a case that also involves former Ciudad del Este mayor Miguel Prieto, a pre-candidate for the presidency in 2028. The accusation has a political context, as Prieto was removed from office following a controversial intervention by the Comptroller’s Office.