The mayor of San Estanislao, Agustín Ovando Espínola, has once again been formally charged by the Public Prosecutor's Office for alleged crimes of breach of trust, production of non-authentic documents, and false declaration, related to the administration of municipal funds. The new charges were filed by prosecutor Alexander Rodrigo Argüello, from the San Estanislao Unit, and involve an alleged misappropriation of approximately 1.85 billion guaranis.
In addition to Ovando, municipal employee María Lourdes Ocampos was also charged. The prosecution requested precautionary measures including barring both from entering or remaining on the premises of the San Estanislao Municipality, requiring them to appear monthly before a judge, prohibiting them from leaving the country without judicial authorization, and posting sufficient real bail.
This is not the first case against Ovando for these irregularities. In 2024, he had already been charged by then-prosecutor Walter Javier Melo for similar facts, which involved a lack of transparency in the use of about 1 billion guaranis from the municipality's own funds and another 700 million from a loan. At that time, the charges were admitted by a San Estanislao judge of guarantees, but were later annulled by the specialized judge for Economic Crimes in Asunción, Rodrigo Estigarribia, who pointed out procedural flaws and ordered the case returned to the Public Prosecutor's Office for corrections.
Prosecutor Argüello deepened the investigations and reinforced suspicions that Ovando may have carried out irregular maneuvers, such as failing to apply investment funds from property and vehicle taxes, in addition to improperly using a budgetary credit of 700 million guaranis. The initial complaint came from councilors of a *cartista* faction linked to the governor of San Pedro, Freddy D’Ecclesiis, who questioned the lack of proper accountability to the Municipal Board.
Despite the charges, Agustín Ovando remains in the position of mayor but has announced he will not seek re-election in the upcoming municipal elections. The Colorado Party (ANR), in the Honor Colorado faction, has already launched councilor Carlos Verón Sperarza as a candidate to replace Ovando in San Estanislao. Notably, Verón Sperarza did not support the complaint against the current mayor, indicating internal tensions within the local *cartismo*.