SUPREME COURT ANNULS DECISION, ENDS CRISIS

C O N F I D E N T I A L ASUNCION 000003 SIPDIS WHA/FO CMCMULLEN, WHA/BSC MDRUCKER, BFRIEDMAN, MDASCHBACH E.O. 12958: DECL: 2035/01/06 TAGS: PGOV KJUS PA SUBJECT: SUPREME COURT ANNULS DECISION, ENDS CRISIS REF: A. 09 ASUNCION 956; B. 09 ASUNCION 531 CLASSIFIED BY: Joan P. Shaker, Acting Deputy Chief of Mission; REASON: 1.4(D) ¶1. (U) The Supreme Court ended a constitutional crisis January 5 by annulling the December 31 decision (reftel A) of its Constitutional Chamber to reinstate two judges impeached by Congress in 2003. The Court also suspended the three substitute Constitutional Chamber judges for "exceeding their mandate." The Court was under severe Congressional pressure, including threats by Senate President Miguel Carrizosa to impeach the entire bench if the December 31 decision was not annulled. President Fernando Lugo and other political actors from across the spectrum welcomed the development. ¶2. (C) COMMENT: The Supreme Court backed down in the face of intense political pressure from legislators and the public. The scandalously slow and generally corrupt justices, acting swiftly in their own self-interest, ended the brewing constitutional crisis and avoided a brutal impeachment fight with Congress. The Court's decision to suspend the three substitute judges ingratiated the Court with political parties which continue to negotiate to fill two vacant seats on the Court (reftel B). Despite their questionable motivations, the justices did the right thing, and it is business as usual again in Paraguay. END COMMENT. HOLLOWAY