Paraguay: Senators Attempt to Intimidate Reporters Rocío Pereira Da Costa and Fiona Aquino
Elected officials assault and threaten two reporters in two separate incidents
Location: Paraguay, Asunción
Date: December 12, 2023
In the space of two days, two Paraguayan senators have tried to interfere and obstruct the work of journalists reporting. Senator Carlos Núñez assaulted and knocked the microphone of Telefuturo reporter Rocío Pereira Da Costa, and Senator Norma Aquino threatened Fiona Aquino not to reveal her name in her coverage. The Coalition For Women In Journalism and Women Press Freedom is shocked by the behavior of these elected officials toward journalists. We demand an apology for their actions, commitment from the politicians to uphold press freedom and respect the right of journalists to report.
Senator Physically Assaults Rocío Pereira Da Costa
On December 11, 2023, Senator Carlos Núñez physically assaulted journalist Rocío Pereira when asked about his possible involvement in crimes related to Operation Dakovo, an international operation that exposed an arms trafficking network linked to Paraguayan politicians and military figures.
When Pereira questioned Núñez about his association with arms trafficker Diego Dirisio, the senator responded by physically attacking her. He grabbed her arm and pushed away her microphone. Núñez then quickly walked, almost jogging, escorted by a police officer, to his office and locked himself inside.
Videos of the incident show Núñez appearing nervous and agitated in response to questions from various journalists at the parliamentary headquarters. Pereira later described the senator's behavior as "extremely aggressive."
In a later statement, the senator did not apologize and appeared to justify his violent reaction. He stated that journalists' inquiries should be framed with “respect, responsibility, seriousness, professionalism,” insinuating that Rocío Pereira’s approach was not.
Senator Attempts to Silence Fiona Aquino with Threats of Legal Action
On December 12, 2023, Fiona Aquino of ABC TV claimed that Senator Norma Aquino threatened her with legal action. The Senator, through a phone call, threatened Aquino for publishing a list of legislators who provided a quorum to approve the controversial Superintendence law. Senator Norma Aquino participated in the legislative process, initially providing a quorum for the vote, but later attempted to distance herself from the outcome. The Senator later admitted to calling the journalist, threatening to get lawyers involved, but claimed she did not disrespect the reporter.
There are further reports of a troubling message allegedly sent by Senator Norma Aquino to Rocío Pereira referring to the attack by Senator Núñez. The message, which reads, "Rocío, the senator (Carlos Núñez Agüero) rightly pushed you, you are tremendously ñeerei (sly/conniving)," seems to endorse the physical assault on the journalist and casts doubt on her integrity. Such language raises additional concerns about Senator Aquino's behavior and her overall attitude toward the press.
The Coalition For Women In Journalism and Women Press Freedom is appalled by both the behavior of Senator Carlos Núñez toward journalist Rocío Pereira and the attempts by Senator Norma Aquino to intimidate Fiona Aquino. The incidents are even more deplorable due to the political positions held by the perpetrators. Elected officials should uphold the principles of transparency and open discourse in a democratic society. We call for accountability from the Senators and a thorough investigation into the alleged attempts to suppress information and intimidate the press.
The Coalition For Women In Journalism is a global organization of support for women journalists. The CFWIJ pioneered mentorship for mid-career women journalists across several countries around the world and is the first organization to focus on the status of free press for women journalists. We thoroughly document cases of any form of abuse against women in any part of the globe. Our system of individuals and organizations brings together the experience and mentorship necessary to help female career journalists navigate the industry. Our goal is to help develop a strong mechanism where women journalists can work safely and thrive.
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