Paraguay: democracy and freedom of expression in digital justice
| Autor | Yeny Villalba and Natalia Enciso |
| Páginas | 48-54 |
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See notes 22 and 23
The fragile protection of freedom of expression in Paraguay and its limited development on the Internet is just another indication of how slow the consolidation process is in the transition toward a democracy that is respectful of Human Rights and a State that guarantees digital justice among its residents.
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In other words, while this premise is not new, the more the Internet and potential social infrastructures develop for the full enjoyment and exercise of freedom of expression without discrimination – together with other recognized rights –, the greater the possibility of a social rule of law; of a country founded on democratic values that extend beyond dogma and propaganda and where obstacles are prevented – including those arising from "indirect means" for violating rights, such as a lack of infrastructure for a free and neutral internet, and any element that reveals or "blocks" the quality of the democratic model being sought.
Transition toward democracy with a transition toward digital justice?
Paraguay has been undergoing a long transition toward democracy (1989-2014) that has extended almost as long as its prior dictatorship (Alfredo Stroessner 1954-1989), in a scenario in which the internal debate focuses on other priorities (such as current levels of social inequality, poverty, extreme poverty and tributary injustice, among other things), and the issue of digital justice is relegated to a small corner in the shadows of Paraguayan democracy.
This is not only because Paraguay still lacks speciic legislation for protecting digital justice and opening its channels for exercising the right to access public information, but also because of the permanent criminalization of activists that mobilize freedom of expression and public interest on issues that supplement the digital agenda. In this context, digital law is practically excluded from reality and public debate. Paraguay is the country with the lowest alternation of government in the region and whose standards are so minimal that it differentiates itself from all other Latin American countries. Another differentiating factor is its limited number of actors, which hinders a mature discussion on Internet rights or the digital agenda in government programs, without losing sight of the comprehensive nature of the Human Rights that make up the fragile social reality of Paraguay.
In order to speak of a digital transition in the Paraguayan scenario from a digital rights-centered point of view, it is convenient to irst relate and contextualize the last elections that took place in April 2013, which were characterized by cases of criminalization and tension revolving around lack of transparency. Meanwhile, the public interest debate occurred through limited tools that are available online. The fact is that citizens who are using technology are openly expressing their views online and are demanding transparency and effective management of public assets, while focusing their criticism – as can be expected during electoral campaigns –
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on candidate proiles. In a participative and plural democracy, all this should simply be part of ordinary life, people should be able to express their thoughts without drawing attention to themselves or taking risks or extraordinary measures, but that is not the case in Paraguay.
The country’s weakened democracy has created a hostile scenario for an angry public, where electoral candidates have generated negative precedents when trying to "make examples" out of certain cases and...
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