Public service career Carmen Casco de Lara Castro

chamber of deputies, asunción, paraguay

casco elected national deputy radical liberal party in 1968, along 2 women colorado party , re-elected in 1973, when 2 new female deputies, leonidas paez de virgilli , ligia prieto centurión, elected. began working improve situation of prisoners. @ time, prisoners held in cells had no beds or mattresses, no toilets, , provided no food. demanded conditions improve , political prisoners released. simultaneously, through commission, met regularly prisoners families , provided them material , moral support. outspokenness resulted in constant harassment, physical abuse government operatives, repeated arrests, , vilification in press. 2 of sons, 1 of brothers , brother-in-law, arrested , tortured. mail monitored, telephone tapped, , unable obtain passport. if traveled abroad, had obtain international documents so. worked on legislation provide women equal pay , maternity rights. in 1974, submitted bill authorize february 24 dia de la mujer paraguaya (day of paraguayan woman) celebrate contributions of women triple alliance war, when donated jewels fund defense of country , war expenses. date chosen historian idalia flores de zarza in recognition of date when women of asunción hosted first assembly of women of americas.

—carmen de lara castro, 15 december 1977 resignation speech members of congress of paraguay, asunción, paraguay.

in 1977, when president stroessner called constitutional assembly allow indefinite re-election paraguayan presidency, casco formed protest inviting leaders of various liberal parties unite in opposition regime. when failed form coalition, urged them boycott election , resigned seat deputy. in 1978, casco joined carlos alberto gonzález, domingo laíno, miguel Ángel martínez yaryes , others form authentic radical liberal party. same year, in celebration of 30th anniversary of universal declaration of human rights, organized , hosted first congress of human rights. conference held in fonoplatea (live studio) of radio caritas (es), despite being prohibited regime. event attended on 400 people; according police dossier on event, there many international participants.

around same time, began working activists juventud paraguaya por los derechos humanos (jpdh) (paraguayan youth human rights) organization. jpdh aimed free political prisoners christmas 1978, held in emboscada campo de concentración (ambush concentration camp), included such figures alfredo alcorta, antonio maidana (es), , julio rojas (es), members of paraguayan communist party, had been arrested actions during 1958 paraguayan general strike. combining skills, casco , resck used international pressure, , roberto paredes led raid jpdh on palacio de los lópez, force closure of camp. 2 groups worked together, though members of jpdh thought privilege accorded casco because of family position made both less willing take risks , unable relate issues of masses; conversely, felt subversive ideologies of radicals within jpdh undermine work of commission.

though there no immediate reaction government these actions, in 1979, casco exiled radical liberal party, brought before judge of criminal court of first instance , denounced government. despite these attempts intimidate her, casco unrepentant, hosting 2 additional human rights congresses during dictatorship in 1982 , 1987. regularly participated in inter-american commission on human rights review process , on more 1 occasion subject of concern having rights violated. casco began traveling internationally in 1980s, attending conferences on human rights. in 1980, traveled london @ invitation of liberal international discuss human rights in country. arrested in 1981 after returning trip germany , again in 1988 when returning trip spain. alleged had taken part in march, la convergência nacional por los derechos humanos (the national convergence human rights), held commemorate 40th anniversary of universal declaration of human rights, in reality, arrested in airport returning europe. stroessner overthrown coup d’etat led andrés rodríguez in 1989 , in election followed casco elected serve in senate. introduced measures repeal laws 209, law defense of public peace , personal freedom made dissent or fostering dissent crime, , 294, law defense of democracy outlawed communism , armed rebellion against government.

in december 1992, archives of stroessner s organized human rights abuses, known terror files uncovered. contained in collection of documents created departmento de investigaciones del la policia central (dipc) (central police department of investigations), detailed records on forced disappearances, kidnappings, murder, political prisoners, surveillance, , torture. records provided documentation regular reports of activity of dipc submitted president , paraguay had participated in operation condor, network of south american countries clandestinely exchanged political prisoners. on 23 december 1992, day following discovery, casco formed parliamentary delegation investigate evidence found. elected serve president of senate s human rights commission, delegation discovered technical affairs department of ministry of interior still operating illegal detention center under direction of antonio campos alum , took steps shut down operation of state terrorism. honored united nations contributions human rights , humanity in 1992, along husband.