Chilavert is appealing to avoid a year in prison

A Paraguayan judge sent this Wednesday in writing his decision against the former goalkeeper Jose Luis Chilavert, who was sentenced to one year in prison, with a suspension of execution of the sentence, for defaming Conmebol president Alejandro Domínguez. Sentencing judge Manuel Aguirre told Efe that he moved to “written support” the sentence he announced on May 25 at the conclusion of the oral and public trial against the former soccer player and would -be candidate for President of Paraguay.

The Conmebol president’s request was based on expressions Chilavert made on social networks, between September and December 2020. Aguirre pointed out that from the date when each party is notified, they have ten days to appeal.

He explained that in his sentence he had established a ban on leaving the country, although Chilavert, who lives in Argentina, could travel without inconvenience as long as he notifies the court of execution. The exporter also cannot change his address and must sign an appearance book every three months. The exporter also cannot change his address and must sign an appearance book every three months.

The judge admitted that the sentence would be final only when the ten -day period established for the appeal had expired. In his decision, the lawyer defended that the defamation occurred “through uncontrolled means of communication, such as social networks.” He further considers that “embarrassing” expressions and “repeated lies” have spread, which, in his opinion, “suits the crime of defamation.”

The criminal case filed by the head of the South American Football Confederation (Conmebol) includes crimes of defamation and libel.

He will go to the Supreme Court if his appeal is not successful.

When asked about the verdict, Chilavert told Efe on Monday that they would appeal, though he admitted they hoped to “read carefully” with his attorney, Pedro Wilson Marinoni, the judge’s arguments. “We are going to appeal, because we do not agree with the issue that they condemned us for defamation, it is unfair,” said Chilavert, before accepting the document.

He said he is ready to appeal to the Supreme Court again if his appeal does not progress and reaches the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR), based in Washington.

In any case, he considered that Chilavert ultimately “won”, because he was not convicted of defamation and insult, nor was he imposed a “millionaire” amount of compensation or the two years imprisonment they requested. against him or community work. . “We’re telling all the truth, we’re not slandering anyone,” Chilavert alleged when claiming his acquittal and defending that his evidence and arguments “are very valid.”

Dominguez’s lawyer, satisfied

For his part, attorney Claudio Lovera, Domínguez’s legal representative, assured Efe on Tuesday that they were “satisfied” with the “explanation regarding the facts which the court condemned.” Lovera, who also testified while awaiting the written verdict, pointed out, that “there is no ruling out the facts”, but instead the court chose the legal classification of defamation. The jury ensured that this judge’s qualification was “not offensive” to the complaint, as it was taken for granted that the fact attributed was “worthy of judgment.”