Duarte Frutos indicated that he had assumed the Presidency of the Republic in order to ensure that there was justice for everyone and to bring an end to “justice that closes its eyes to the bosses, the powerful, and opens its eyes and directs the implacable arm of the law against the country’s poor and disinherited.” Amidst the sustained applause of hundreds of small farmers who attended the event, the leader emphatically warned that justice would change “and, if necessary, we are going to crush a corrupt Judiciary that does not want to adapt to the needs and aspirations of the Paraguayan people.”36 28. Newspaper articles at the time also referred to the intention of different political players to substitute some of the justices who composed the Supreme Court of Justice at the time.37 29. On October 25 and 27, 2003, Justices Jerónimo Irala Burgos38 and Raúl Sapena Brugada presented their letters of resignations to the Senate.39 In his letter, the latter indicated: Following a series of negotiations between leaders of the political parties, the list of justices subject to impeachment was published. Even though several protagonists of this negotiation indicated that we would be given the chance to exercise the right to defend ourselves during the impeachment proceedings, it should also be noted that, in other statements, dismissal was repeatedly mentioned. In these circumstances, any defense that is put forward will be useless. It should be recalled that I acceded to this high office as the only Colorado candidate who had obtained the consensus of all political parties, a situation that I have honored with my impartiality. Recent events reveal that this consensus no longer exists and, for ethical reasons, this makes my resignation necessary. 30. Then, on November 17 that year, Justice Felipe Santiago Paredes resigned. In his letter of resignation, he indicated that he “consider[ed] it unacceptable to be exposed to subjective and selective impeachment proceedings, without guarantees, and with a guilty verdict already politically agreed upon and announced.”40 C.2. Procedure before the Chamber of Deputies Cf. Newspaper article published in “La Nación” on September 7, 2003, entitled “Nicanor amenazó ‘pulverizar’ el Poder Judicial si hace falta” [Nicanor threatened to ‘crush’ the Judiciary if necessary] (evidence file, volume IV, annex III.A to the pleadings and motions brief, folio 6346). See also, newspaper article published in “Noticias” on September 8, 2003, entitled “Reacciones encontradas en relación a ‘pulverizar al Poder Judicial corrupto’” [Strong reactions to ‘crushing the corrupt Judiciary’] (evidence file, volume I, annex 3 to the Merits Report, folio 6); newspaper article published in “La Nación” on September 8, 2003, entitled “Castiglioni apoya la ‘pulverización’” [Castiglioni supports ‘pulverization’] (evidence file, volume I, annex 3 to the Merits Report, folio 7), and newspaper article published in “Noticias” on September 8, 2003, entitled “Causan polémicas las palabras de Nicanor en torno a la justicia” [Nicanor’s speech about the judiciary causes polemic] (evidence file, volume IV, annex III.A to the pleadings and motions brief, folio 6328). 37 Cf. Inter alia, newspaper article published in “La Nación” on August 28, 2003, entitled “El Ejecutivo y el Congreso buscarán consensuar el cambio de la Corte” [Executive and Congress will seek consensus on changes to the Court] (evidence file, volume IV, annex III.A to the pleadings and motions brief, folio 6362); newspaper article published in “La Nación” on September 8, 2003, entitled “Negociación política apunta a la salida de 7 miembros de la Corte” [Political negotiation proposes the departure of 7 members of the Court] (evidence file, volume I, annex 3 to the Merits Report, folio 7); newspaper article published in “ABC” on October 1, 2003, entitled “The president convoca a minicumbre para impulsar renovación de la Corte” [President calls for mini-summit to expedite the Court’s renewal] (evidence file, volume IV, annex III.A to the pleadings and motions brief, folio 6357); newspaper article published in “La Nación” on October 14, 2003, entitled “Ejecutivo y Congreso resolvieron llevar a juicio político a la Corte” [Executive and Congress decide to impeach the Court” (evidence file, volume IV, annex III.A to the pleadings and motions brief, folio 6349), and newspaper article published in “Noticias” on October 23, 2003, entitled “Corte: oposición definió seis nombres para juicio político” [Court: opposition identified six names for impeachment] (evidence file, volume IV, annex III.A to the pleadings and motions brief, folio 6319). 38 Cf. Resignation letter of Justice Jerónimo Irala Burgos of October 25, 2003 (evidence file, volume I, annex 5 to the Merits Report, folio 11). 39 Cf. Resignation letter of Justice Raúl Sapena Brugada of October 27, 2003 (evidence file, volume I, annex 4 to the Merits Report, folio 9). See also, newspaper article published in “Última Hora” on October 28, 2003, entitled “Sapena e Irala renuncian a la Corte para evitar el juicio” [Sapena and Irala resign from the Court to avoid trial] (evidence file, volume IV, annex III.D to the pleadings and motions brief, folio 6432). 40 Cf. Resignation letter of Justice Felipe Santiago Paredes of November 17, 2003 (evidence file, volume IV, annex V.C to the pleadings and motions brief, folio 6491). 36 11