The return of an Argentine lawyer detained in Brazil has been unexpectedly delayed, sparking accusations of political interference from a prominent Argentine senator. Agostina Páez, arrested in Rio de Janeiro two months ago, was expected to return home within days, but a recent judicial decision has extended her stay by 10 to 15 days.
Senator Patricia Bullrich of La Libertad Avanza alleges that former President Alberto Fernández and national Deputy Marcela Pagano attempted to leverage the situation for political gain, reportedly requesting public acknowledgment for their efforts in securing Páez’s release. According to Bullrich, the lawyer’s family refused to comply with the condition.
“The anguish is total. What yesterday seemed to be progressing, today is moving away,” Bullrich stated in a social media post, relaying concerns shared by Páez’s family. “Their priority is one thing only: their daughter. To have her home. They are not here for speculation or political games,” she added.
The case took a turn Tuesday when initial indications suggested Páez would be allowed to return to Argentina. Páez herself expressed optimism, stating, “They are going to let me go home.” Though, Deputy Pagano subsequently claimed Fernández had intervened with the Brazilian Justice system and that she had acted as a guarantor. “Mr. Alberto Fernández, thank you for setting aside any ideological differences and helping with the repatriation,” Pagano said at the time.
On Wednesday, Judge Guilherme Schilling Pollo Duarte ruled that Páez, accused of racial injury following alleged racist gestures at a bar in Ipanema, could not immediately leave the country. The judge maintained existing precautionary measures, including electronic monitoring, pushing back the anticipated return by at least 10 to 15 days. The delay underscores the complexities of international legal proceedings and the potential for unforeseen obstacles.
Following the judge’s decision, Bullrich accused Pagano and Fernández of conditioning their assistance on a public expression of gratitude. She claimed the family rejected this request.
Bullrich too praised the work of Foreign Minister Pablo Quirno, stating, “While some seek protagonism, the Foreign Minister and the consulate have been working from the first day as they should: with responsibility, under the rules of diplomacy and focused on results. Without show, without photos.” She added, “Don’t let yourselves be deceived by operators. We’ve seen it before: they employ the pain of a family to do politics. There is only one priority here: Agostina home. And that’s what this Government is working on.”
Pagano responded to Bullrich’s accusations, asserting that the Foreign Minister’s public statements regarding Páez’s potential return had disrupted the timeline.
The deputy argued, “The effectiveness of the prosecutor understanding the cultural differences and the legal scope of racism in our country vs. In Brazil is work that neither you as senator (your reach was clear) nor the foreign minister participated in. Still, luckily for everyone, Agostina will return to Argentina within the time that remains for the judge to issue the sentence despite the stupid people who manage the Foreign Ministry today.”
Sebastián Robles, the lawyer representing Páez’s family, confirmed to LA NACION that the unexpected bureaucratic setback, decided by Judge Shilling Pollo Duarte, halted the defense’s expectations just as the 29-year-old lawyer believed a return to Argentina was imminent. “We don’t understand what happened. We filed a habeas corpus against the judge’s decision,” Robles said.
Robles clarified, however, that the ruling does not alter the core agreement reached by all parties: Páez will face a minimal penalty—not the 12 years initially sought by the prosecution—for a single offense, potentially commutable to restitution and community service.
On Tuesday, as Páez’s return appeared likely, Foreign Minister Pablo Quirno explained the role his ministry played in the Brazilian Justice system’s decision, stating that his office had worked “discreetly” to assist in the case.
“The news we received from Brazil was very positive. We had coordinated action with her defense. There are treaties of judicial cooperation between Argentina and Brazil, which led the Foreign Ministry to present, through the consulate, a note guaranteeing compliance with the law and ensuring that the criminal process can be fulfilled and monitored,” Quirno said in an interview with Radio Mitre.
He said the delivery of the letter was an “important contribution” to allow the judge to accept that Páez serve her sentence in Argentina.
Quirno also stated that the Foreign Ministry has been in contact with Páez and her family since the beginning and clarified, “She had to hire a defense, and we gave her support on how to deal with a system that is strange. So, they ended up hiring a lawyer and then changed it. That made the case take another strategy, but we were there from the beginning.”
The minister emphasized that all the Foreign Ministry’s efforts are carried out “discreetly” and have an uncertain outcome. “We cannot guarantee any return, but we do work day by day on each of these cases with the laws that impose on us from other countries,” he said.
He also specified that the national government did not contribute financially to Páez’s case because the Foreign Ministry does not play the role of guarantor of the conduct of Argentine citizens abroad, but is limited to making certain recommendations and carrying out diplomatic procedures.
