MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Paraguay chooses new Supreme Court Chief Justice

Benítez Riera has written a thesis on money laundering

Luis María Benítez Riera has been unanimously chosen as the new Chief Justice of Paraguay's Supreme Court, it was announced in Asunción Wednesday. Justice Gustavo Santander Dans was elected as Deputy Chief Justice by a majority vote and Alberto Martínez Simón will be third in line also after a unanimous decision.

It will be Benítez Riera's second term after holding that yearly office in 2011. He will replace Justice César Diesel Junghanns in a move that will grant former President Horacio Cartes' faction within the ruling Colorado Party (Honor Colorado) a grip on the State's three branches of government.

Benítez Riera, who will be sworn in on Feb. 26, joined Paraguay's Judiciary in 1979 and has also served as a criminal judge before being appointed to the Supreme Court.

After his election, Benítez Riera first congratulated the incumbent Diesel for his work, particularly his relationship with the other branches of government. The new Chief Justice also pledged to continue on the path of strengthening the judicial system, “as has been happening for several years” with the implementation of new technologies and electronic files to cut down bureaucratic delays.

Benítez Riera holds a law degree from the Universidad Católica Nuestra Señora de la Asunción, as well as notary public degrees from the Universidad Nacional de Asunción, in addition to a Ph.D. in Juridical Sciences from the Universidad Nacional de Asunción. His thesis, entitled “Money laundering. Towards the creation of an updated legislation to combat it in the Republic of Paraguay”, was awarded Summa Cum Laude honors.