The trial of former senator Hernán Rivas for allegedly using a fake law degree has exposed widespread flaws in Paraguay's academic document control system. Rivas, a former member of the Colorado Party (ANR) and the Honor Colorado faction, is accused of producing and using false public documents, crimes that could carry up to 11 years and six months in prison, according to prosecutors.
Witnesses and documents presented in court revealed that university authorities signed certificates and diplomas without verifying whether Rivas actually took or passed the courses. Óscar Rodríguez Kennedy, former dean of Law at the Universidad Sudamericana, admitted signing Rivas's documents inside his car in a parking lot, without knowing the former senator as a student or confirming the information's accuracy.
The study certificate attributed to Rivas indicates he would have taken six final exams in a single day – something Rodríguez Kennedy called "impossible" in court. Additionally, inconsistencies such as numerical grades that don't match letter descriptions reinforce doubts about the transcript's authenticity.
A report by prosecutor Teresa Sosa, cited in the case, details a "modus operandi" for registering fake degrees with the Ministry of Education and Sciences (MEC). The document describes how fake diplomas, some dating back to 2000, managed to obtain official registration despite not being issued by legitimate universities.
Education Minister Luis Ramírez confirmed that Rivas's degree will remain registered with MEC until there is a final court decision. He acknowledged that the registration system is "insufficient" and announced that 283 ministry employees are under internal investigation, with 13 directors already removed.
Meanwhile, opposition lawmakers are calling for exemplary punishment for Rivas and warn that a potential conviction could trigger a wave of nullifications in court cases where he served as member – and even president – of the Judicial Impeachment Jury (JEM).
The case has also brought reports of intimidation to light. Deputy Raúl Benítez, who testified in the trial, stated he received threats – including a photo of himself with the message "we're watching you" – when he began publicly questioning the validity of Rivas's degree.
Former deputy Hugo Ramírez, who nominated Rivas for the JEM in 2020, expressed regret and admitted the nomination was based solely on the former senator's word, without requiring documentary proof. He described the decision as "political" and based on the "principle of good faith."