Ministers and Legislators face scrutiny in Peru and Paraguay

In Peru, Interior Minister César Astudillo faced scrutiny during a Senate Defense Commission session regarding the country's security crisis. Amid discussions on rising extortion and organized crime, Astudillo was caught on a live microphone using profanity while complaining about the volume of documents he had to read. The session also included Defense Minister Rafael Belaúnde Llosa, who detailed military interventions to mitigate the effects of El Niño.

In Paraguay, National Congress President Basilio ‘Bachi’ Núñez is defending his professional medical credentials following public challenges from physician Aníbal Filártiga. Filártiga questioned the validity of Núñez’s neurosurgery specialization and his history of practice. In response, Núñez and his legal representative, Óscar Tuma, released academic documentation and Ministry of Public Health resolutions to prove he obtained his medical degree from the Universidad Nacional del Nordeste in 1996 and has previously held official medical posts.