VZCZCXYZ0000
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHAC #0558/01 1511500
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 311500Z MAY 06
FM AMEMBASSY ASUNCION
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 4317
INFO RUCNMER/MERCOSUR COLLECTIVE
RUEHNR/AMEMBASSY NAIROBI 0243
RHEHNSC/WHITE HOUSE NSC WASHDC
RUMIAAA/USCINCSO MIAMI FL//SCJ5//
RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHDC
RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHDC
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC

UNCLAS ASUNCION 000558 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR WHA/BSC AND EB/IFD/OIA 
STATE PASS TO USAID FOR LAC/AA 
STATE PASS TO USTR FOR LYANG 
NSC FOR SUE CRONIN 
TREASURY FOR OSIA MAUREEN WAFER 
TREASURY FOR OTA WARFIELD, VAN KOCH, MILLAR 
COMMERCE FOR ITA SARAH COOK 
SOUTHCOM FOR POLAD 
NAIROBI FOR MICHAEL FITZPATRICK 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PREL PINR KWMN KCRM SMIG PA
SUBJECT: PARAGUAY POLITICAL AND ECONOMIC UPDATE, MAY 20-26, 
2006 
 
REF: ASUNCION 0432 
 
¶1. SUMMARY: 
-- Ex-Prosecutor Convicted of Theft 
-- Military Holds Human Rights Leadership Meeting 
-- Congress is Perceived as Most Corrupt in Government 
 
-------------------------------- 
Ex-Prosecutor Convicted of Theft 
-------------------------------- 
 
¶2. (U) On 4/20, former prosecutor and Vice Minister of 
Interior Carlos Carolos Advin Calcena was convicted of theft 
for his involvement in stealing approximately USD 350,000, 
125,000 Brazilian Reals and 5 kilograms (kg) of gold seized 
from Brazilian drug lord Jamie Amato Filho in 2001.  Late 
last week, the Supreme Court's Penal Court rejected Calcena's 
habeus corpus request and petition to be placed under house 
arrest and reaffirmed his six year sentence.  According to 
SENAD officials, this is the first successful prosecution of 
a senior public figure since the fall of the Stroessner 
dictatorship.  (NOTE: Senior police official Aristides Cabral 
was implicated in this theft with Calcena.  However, Cabral 
has escaped prosecution through legal maneuvering supported 
by key political figures. End Note) (reftel) 
 
--------------------------------------------- 
Military Holds Human Rights Leadership Meeting 
--------------------------------------------- 
 
¶3. (U) As part of an initiative sponsored by Southern 
Command, the Center for Analysis and Training in Human Rights 
(CECADH), an NGO located in Costa Rica, along with the 
Ministry of Defense and the Armed Forces held a joint 
leadership meeting to discuss Human Rights in Paraguay on May 
22-24 with the objective of setting the framework for a wider 
discussion with civil society in August.  However, this 
follow-on seminar is pending Paraguay's signature to an 
agreement with CECADH by June 15.  We had hoped and expected 
General Kanazawa, Paraguay's Commander of the Armed Forces to 
sign this agreement on May 22, but he declined at the last 
minute.  Kanazawa has been embroiled in a controversy over a 
heavy-handed statement the military issued last December when 
the Senate held up a vote on military promotions.  He may be 
seeking a low profile for the time-being. 
 
--------------------------------------------- ------ 
Congress is Perceived as Most Corrupt In Government 
--------------------------------------------- ------ 
 
¶4. (U)  On May 24, Transparency Paraguay (TP) presented the 
results of its annual corruption survey finding that over 
54.8 percent of the 1200 Paraguayans polled in the survey 
viewed the Congress and its members (Senators and Deputies) 
as the most corrupt institution in the Paraguayan government. 
 The Judiciary (46.7 percent) closely followed the Congress, 
as the second most corrupt institution.  (Note:  Last year 
the same survey found the judiciary was viewed as the most 
corrupt institution.  End Note.)  Other organizations such as 
the National Police, political parties, and the Customs 
Organization were also identified as corrupt.  In interviews 
with the press, TP Executive Director Pilar Callizo said that 
in general Paraguayans remain very pessimistic about whether 
government's institutions are genuinely committed to fighting 
corruption.  She also noted that one in four Paraguayans is 
asked to pay a bribe for services provided by government 
organizations, especially for identity documents, such as 
passports and cedulas. 
 
¶5. (U)  In response to the survey results, Patria Querida 
Senator Miguel Carrizosa acknowledged to the press that the 
survey results were shameful and he accepted part of the 
blame for the public perception of the Congress,.  Other 
congressmen stated to the press that they did not believe 
their organization was the most corrupt of all government 
 
institutions and singled out other organizations as more 
corrupt than their own. 
CASON