Paraguayan senate expels opposition voice who called out corruption

Paraguay’s senate voted to expel one of the few opposition voices in national politics, which led to protests in the capital Asuncion and raised concerns about the fragile state of democracy in the country. Senator Kattya Gonzalez from the center-left National Meeting Party was removed from her position during an extraordinary session for the “misuse of influence” while in office. Gonzalez, who was elected in 2023, is among a small group of left-leaning opposition politicians and has spoken out against widespread corruption and the growing influence of organized crime in Paraguay. Senators who supported her expulsion accused Gonzalez of administrative misconduct related to three state officials she supervised, calling the evidence “compelling and irrefutable.”

Gonzalez, however, did not respond to a request for comment from Reuters. Paraguay’s right-wing Colorado Party, which has dominated the political landscape for decades, holds the majority in both chambers of congress, the presidency, and 15 of the 17 state governments. Critics of the party allege that Gonzalez’s dismissal was an attempt to silence opposition voices and consolidate their power. “Paraguay is at risk,” Gonzalez said in her address to the senate, expressing concerns about the weakening state of the country’s democracy due to the temporary majority allied with organized crime. Outside the legislative building in Asuncion, a small group of anti-government protesters gathered in support of Gonzalez, fearing that her expulsion represented a regression toward Paraguay’s dictatorship past.

During the 2023 election, Gonzalez was the fourth most-voted senator, gaining public support for directly addressing lawmakers suspected of wrongdoing. She will be replaced by her deputy, a lesser known member of the opposition. In a further act of protest, Gonzalez initiated a hunger strike on Saturday against what she perceives as an attempt by President Santiago Pena and his Colorado administration to promote constitutional changes that would allow for presidential reelection. The situation in Paraguay has gained international attention, with Asuncion reporting by Daniela Desantis and Lucinda Elliott in Montevideo.