Belén Maldonado, a councilwoman for the municipality of Luque, Paraguay, has filed a criminal complaint with the Public Ministry against President Santiago Peña, accusing him of political violence against women. Maldonado claims that on the 1st of this month, during a public event, she was violently removed by presidential bodyguards after demanding information about a planned Luque overpass construction project.
The incident occurred at a public hearing held at the Luque Cooperative gymnasium. According to Maldonado, she took the microphone to ask a question about the overpass project but was forcibly removed by President Peña's bodyguards. She stated, "The bodyguards shoved and hit me, and they also used violence against the local residents who were accompanying me."
She emphasized that the actions were a "clear act of violence against a female politician," and an attempt to "silence my voice in a public setting and obstruct me from performing my duties as an elected representative."
Maldonado, accompanied by officials from her party, the Authentic Radical Liberal Party (PLRA), including party leader Hugo Fleitas, submitted the complaint to the Public Ministry. She stated that it "was not an easy decision, but I want this case to set a precedent." She added, "Freedom of expression, which is enshrined in the Constitution, must not be violated, and all Paraguayan citizens should be free to question the government."
She criticized the current administration, saying, "This government has sent a clear message that if you speak up, you will be violently silenced," and added that she was simply doing her job to ensure the public's right to information.
Maldonado claims the incident was a planned attack. She alleged that ruling party officials notified the bodyguards of her presence and that President Peña did not stop the attack, but instead tried to obstruct her questions.
Through the complaint, she has requested a criminal investigation not only into the individuals involved in the violence but also those behind the incident. She also requested personal protection measures, such as a restraining order, in accordance with Law 5777/2016, a law for the prevention of violence against women enacted in 2016. The complaint seeks to punish those responsible for political and physical violence against women. The incident has caused a stir, as it occurred during a public event where an elected official's democratic participation and freedom of expression should have been guaranteed.
Paraguayan civil society has expressed concern over the incident and is urging the government to take responsibility. There is a growing chorus of criticism, particularly because violence against female politicians is seen as an act that shakes the very foundation of democracy. It remains to be seen what kind of change this complaint will bring to Paraguay's political culture.
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