The request to lift the immunity of Liberal deputy Cleto Giménez has once again been sent to the Chamber of Deputies, where it has remained unexamined for over two years. Giménez is being prosecuted for an alleged scheme of improper collection of salaries, known as "nepobabies," involving the hiring of his daughters as aides in the Chamber.
The Specialized Criminal Court for Economic Crimes of the First Division reiterated the communication to the Chamber, emphasizing the need for Congress to rule so that the criminal case can proceed in accordance with the National Constitution and the Criminal Procedure Code. Along with the notification, the procedural documents produced by the Public Prosecutor's Office were resent.
The investigation originated from the hiring of Danna Maricela and Johana Denisse Giménez Rotela, the deputy's daughters, who received public salaries without fulfilling required work obligations, such as biometric clock-in and clock-out. Both benefited from conditional suspension of the proceedings and were ordered to repay about 77 million guaraníes.
Besides Giménez's case, other requests to lift immunity are pending in the Chamber. Among them is that of Colorado deputy Esteban Samaniego, investigated for alleged acts of self-serving administration and criminal association, along with his wife, Quyquyhó's mayor Patricia Corvalán. Judge Osmar Legal also reiterated the communication regarding this charge and forwarded the documents for Congress's decision.
Although the Constitutional Affairs Committee issued a favorable opinion on lifting Samaniego's immunity, the matter has yet to be placed on the agenda of ordinary sessions, leaving the request stalled. Other pending cases include deputy Roya Torres, investigated for irregular hiring of her son, and deputy Walter García, whose immunity lifting request also remains undecided.
In contrast, the Chamber swiftly handled the immunity lifting of deputy Mauricio Espínola, who faces charges of involuntary manslaughter resulting from a traffic accident and personally requested the loss of his parliamentary privileges, with his request approved.
In the case against Esteban Samaniego, preliminary hearings were scheduled for late June and early July, involving 14 defendants, including mayor Patricia Corvalán. The judge also ordered the preventive detention of one of the accused for dilatory tactics after submitting a refusal minutes before the hearing.