The Paraguayan Chamber of Deputies approved in general a bill that proposes to significantly increase prison sentences for public officials involved in acts of corruption. The initiative, presented by deputy Daniel Centurión, received 53 favorable votes after more than two years of discussions and three previous attempts to advance in Congress.
The bill seeks to raise maximum sentences to up to 25 years in prison, depending on the severity of the offense. Currently, Paraguayan laws provide for minimum sentences of one year for corruption crimes, with the possibility of substitution by fine and maximum ceilings of up to 10 years in prison.
However, the specific study of the bill was postponed sine die, meaning without a defined date for resumption. Centurión classified the general approval as "a fundamental step," but warned that the next stage will be "another battle" to convert the initiative into law.
During the debate, the deputy argued that toughening penalties is necessary given the impact of corruption in the country. He presented estimates indicating that corruption costs Paraguay approximately $1.6 billion, equivalent to 4% of the gross domestic product (GDP), a value that exceeds resources allocated to education.
The treatment of the bill was marked by fiery speeches from Colorado Party legislators about the fight against corruption, but critics point out that in practice the initiative may remain "dormant" for years. Deputy Raúl Benítez stated that the fight against corruption remained only in "grandiloquent speeches."
In the same session, legislators from the Cartista movement - led by former president Horacio Cartes - placed obstacles to several requests for information about Colorado mayors accused of not paying salaries to employees, which, according to observers, demonstrates contradiction between discourse and practice in combating corruption.