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Paraguay has struggled to overcome the legacy of a police state that inflicted torture, exile, and forced disappearances on its people. In May 2003, at the request of the president of the Senate Committee on Human Rights and the Coordinadora de Derechos Humanos del Paraguay, a local network of human rights NGOs, Louis Bickford and a consultant traveled to Asunción to consider the establishment of and discuss the draft law for a Truth and Justice Commission (CVJ), provide assistance to government officials and civil society organizations, and understand the country's broader transitional justice challenges.
In September 2003, Parliament passed a law establishing the Commission, which integrated many of the ICTJ's comments. In October 2003, Federico Borello conducted a two-day workshop for NGO and victim group representatives that covered several aspects relating to the launch of the CVJ. In June 2004, the CVJ was formally established to provide a historical record of the Stroessner dictatorship and contribute to prosecutorial efforts. The ICTJ is helping the Commission address operational start-up issues by facilitating contact with leaders of former truth-seeking initiatives.
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