Two council members and the former municipal accountant of Jesús de Tavarangüe confirmed in a hearing that Mayor Víctor Garay (ANR) created a "parallel commission" to manage public funds, diverting approximately G 2.44 billion from special funds intended for public works and the preservation of cultural heritage in 2022.
Council members Pedro Ramírez (ANR) and Antonio Rolón (PLRA) stated that the Municipal Council never had access to documents justifying the use of the money, which came from Laws 5255/14 and 6145/18. They asserted that the works were carried out in a shoddy manner, many remain unfinished, and none went through the bidding processes of the National Directorate of Public Procurement (DNCP), being done by exception.
Councilman Rolón added that the mayor hired companies without technical capacity, whose owners were "housewives and teachers." The former accountant, Hugo Paniagua, for his part, said he participated in preparing reports for the Comptroller General's Office but stated he could not remember specific details about payments and documentation.
The Public Prosecutor's Office charged Garay with breach of trust in December 2023. The court, presided over by Judge Elsa García, has scheduled the next hearing for Friday, July 10.