Asunción, Paraguay – On March 25, 2023, several social organizations conducted a march through the streets of downtown Asunción, marking the first of three days of planned protests against the government of President Santiago Peña. Protesters raised concerns over issues of corruption and impunity within the justice system while demanding improved access to jobs, education, and healthcare.

The demonstration commenced from Plaza Uruguaya and proceeded to Plaza de Armas, situated in front of Congress.

Despite unfavorable weather conditions, including rain, participants maintained their resolve, chanting slogans such as 'fuera Santi Peña' (out with Santi Peña) and 'la lucha triunfará' (the struggle will prevail).

Key figures from various sectors participated in the protests, including workers, retirees, and representatives from diverse social groups, emphasizing a collective call for governmental accountability.

In a separate but related context, judges specializing in domestic violence expressed significant concerns regarding impending judicial reforms that are set to take effect due to the 'Bolaños Law.' This legislation will redirect all cases of sexual violence to the courts specifically handling women's violence, which has raised alarms among the judiciary about an impending 'total collapse' of the system.

The meeting of judges with officials from the Ministry of Justice did not yield clear plans to mitigate the anticipated overload of cases.

Justice Secretary Manuel Olmedo committed to the approval of a royal decree to create additional judicial positions in courts where judges of instruction cannot be converted into civil judges.

However, judges left the meeting without a definitive understanding of the forthcoming changes.

Judiciaries highlighted their deep concerns regarding the law, voicing that the current setup would overburden the specialized courts tasked with addressing domestic violence, threatening the timely and thorough examination of cases involving victims, many of whom are children.

Concerns regarding systemic failures were echoed by Myriam Quintero, a judge specializing in gender-based violence from Seville, who characterized the forthcoming legislative changes as an 'explosive mix' that could create a bottleneck in the judicial process.

The judges’ collective statement underscored the alarming prospect of overwhelming the courts, potentially compromising the support offered to victims of domestic violence.

Currently, Spain has 121 courts focused on women's violence, with only a handful operating continuously on a guard basis.

The majority process cases during standard business hours, already facing unprecedented saturation due to concurrent demands and limited resources.

The judges articulated their worry that the new legal reforms appear politically motivated, neglecting the specialized training necessary for addressing both sexual and gender-based violence adequately.

Such changes could lead to a significant increase in the judicial workload as the new law may escalate the volume of cases processed by at least 20%.

In other related developments, recent rainfall across various regions of Spain, particularly in Catalonia, has led to a notable increase in water levels at crucial reservoirs.

The Siurana reservoir, essential for supplying water to the Priorat region, saw its levels rise to 21% following prolonged drought periods, creating an urgent discourse surrounding water management amid ongoing agricultural demands.

The recent decisions by the Regional Drought Committee have marked the lifting of water supply restrictions in extensive areas of Andalusia, although regions such as Levante Almeriense remain under severe emergency conditions due to critical shortages.

Thus far, over 51% of capacity has been achieved across the Mediterranean basins, indicating some relief from the drought crisis, yet calls for sustainable practices persist amid concerns over the reliability of water resources moving forward.