Puebla Group rejects imprisonment of Paraguayan leader

Asuncion, February 4 (RHC)-- The Puebla Group -- el Grupo de Puebla -- has strongly rejected the preventive detention of Efraín Alegre Sasiaín, president of the Authentic Radical Liberal Party of Paraguay.

"The imprisonment was dictated in violation of express constitutional guarantees, contrary to the provisions of Articles 9 and 19 of the National Constitution of Paraguay and Articles 7, paragraphs 2 and 3 and Article 8, paragraph 2 of the Pact of San José," the official statement said.

Likewise, the Puebla Group reiterates its rejection of any method of political persecution against leaders through the legal branch, "we express our solidarity with all and all those who continue to fight for the defense of political participation," they added.

The arrest of Efraín Alegre Asiaín is described by the Puebla Group as "another case of persecution by legal and communicational means, a kind of legal warfare -lawfare- to destabilize political leaders and parties through the affectation of biographies and public images promoting anticipated media convictions in processes that clearly have not respected the guarantees of due legal process and the presumption of innocence."

Among the signatories of the Puebla Group's statement are former Paraguayan President Fernando Lugo, former Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff, and former Ecuadorian President Rafael Correa.

Since its creation in 2019 -- nearly 11 years ago -- the Grupo de Puebla has taken on several initiatives, such as the creation of the Latin American Council for Justice and Democracy (CLAJUD), which serves the purpose if fighting the use of justice as a weapon of political war and its effects on the democratic institutions on the region.

The Grupo de Puebla was founded by over 40 progressive leaders, including 9 former presidents, two current governments and five former presidential candidates, as well as a large number of legislators and former foreign affairs ministers.