Hernán Huttemann, Chief of the Civil Cabinet of the Executive, announced at a press conference that Arnaldo Giuzzio, Minister of the Interior, had been removed from office. This decision is based, according to his words, to safeguard the legitimacy of the ministry that could be affected by recent events.
The context is as follows, on Monday night, a journalistic investigation revealed that Arnaldo Giuzzio, Minister of the Interior, used vehicles belonging to the alleged drug trafficker Marcus Vinicius Espíndola Marqués de Padua. The man was recently arrested as part of Operation Turf. Giuzzio himself confessed that it was true, but that he did it within the framework of public acquisitions. However, from the DNCP, they affirmed that such a tender did not exist, denying the arguments.
“The president has decided to appoint Ambassador Federico González as the new Minister of the Interior and Cecilia Pérez as Executive Security Advisor,” Huttemann said.
Federico González, the new Minister of the Interior, stated that he is taking office at a delicate moment. He announced that the strongest measures will be taken and will work closely with the commander of the National Police.
“We are going to be in permanent communication in order to combat organized crime. I ask for everyone’s collaboration,” he noted.
González was involved in a case of high treason against the country in May 2019 when he was the emissary of Abdo Benítez, the national president, to force the signature of the then head of ANDE, Pedro Ferreira, to pay an extra cost of US$ 250 million. a year to Brazil for energy contracting from the Itaipu binational.
PEREZ
Cecilia Pérez pointed out that Abdo has given them instructions on important issues with an emphasis on focusing their efforts on Public Contracting.
“We are going to work to prevent organized crime from establishing itself in State agencies,” he said.
Pérez’s replacement at the Ministry of Justice has not yet been announced.
CONTEXT
Juan Ernesto Villamayor was the first Minister of the Interior appointed by Mario Abdo Benítez, President of the Republic. However, after 13 months in office, in September 2019 he resigned after media and social pressure.
He was accused of being responsible for the death of Commissioner Félix Ferrari at the hands of criminal groups. The confrontation occurred at the time that a police delegation was transporting Jorge Teófilo Samudio, alias “Samura” to his place of detention.
Euclides Acevedo resigned from the position in January 2021 due to differences with the then commander of the National Police. Giuzzio took over in his place and was in office for 13 months until his recent dismissal.
LEGISLATORS
Several legislators spoke out on social networks questioning Giuzzio’s actions. One of them was Carlos Rejala, National Deputy for Hagamos, who posted: “more present than ever the phrase of Dr. Luis María Argaña, who when asked about his position in the political dispute between Wasmosy and Oviedo, replied ‘this is a fight of Gangsters’. What country do we leave our children?
Kattya González, National Deputy for PEN, posted on her networks that it is essential that we have reliable institutions, otherwise we do not have democracy.
He also advanced that new data does not invalidate or neutralize the work carried out and that they only complement it. This, in allusion to the political trial filed against Sandra Quiñónez, Attorney General of the State.
“Let those on both sides make no mistake. Probably this move exposes the lack of political will to take serious measures and clean up the institutions, ”he posted.
