Share

Share this

Share on Facebook Share on Facebook Tweet Share on Twitter Share on WhatsApp Share on WhatsApp

SUBSCRIBE TO THE NEWSLETTER

In Asunción, a trial for "air pollution and harmful noise" threatens to erase one of the most vibrant cultural experiences of the last decade. The La Chispa Cultural Center, which has operated on a block in the historic center since 2014 as a refuge for independent art and community, faces a new chapter of harassment: the indictment of the space's cultural manager, Juan Sebastián Coronel.

The Prosecutor's Office, led by Officer Elvia Chávez, accuses La Chispa of operating without the required authorizations and of generating noise levels exceeding those permitted by law. She maintains that this affected the health, well-being, and peace of mind of residents, in addition to violating municipal and environmental regulations. 

On August 7, the first day of Coronel's trial, defense attorneys Emilia Yugovich and Florencia Tornadu filed two motions for nullity. They requested the application of the most favorable law and the definitive dismissal of Juan Sebastián Coronel's case. The Sentencing Court, composed of Héctor Capurro, Yolanda Portillo, and Juan Carlos Zárate, rejected the latter motion. Ademzeas postponed the decision on the nullity of the indictment, which the defense challenges because it is based on a law and ordinance that have since been repealed. Emilia Yugovich had argued that current municipal regulations allow higher noise emission levels than those recorded in the case.

But the case goes beyond a technical dispute.

A trial of diversity 

On Monday the 11th, the third day of the oral trial took place. The prosecution's witnesses concluded their testimony, and most of the defense witnesses appeared. For Milena Ruiz Díaz, cultural manager at La Chispa, this is a trial of culture that doesn't fit into traditional molds and the dominant ideology . She asserts that what's being debated isn't the noise, but rather "what is art and what isn't, what is culture and what isn't." She said that during the trial, it became clear that the residents who testified for the prosecution reject the type of audience and expressions of diversity that attend La Chispa's activities : LGBTTIQ+ people, people of color, people with non-hegemonic aesthetics, or people from popular sectors. "It's a punishment for setting an example, to demonstrate that another model of culture is possible," she states.

Sebastián Coronel, the current defendant in charge of the cultural center, agrees: “If we had only performed Paraguayan folklore and polka, we wouldn't have had any problems. It's the type of people who bother us, not what they do.” He points out that this persecution is nothing new: it has previously occurred in the form of police controls, inspections by the SET (State Securities and Exchange Commission), or unfounded accusations. Under the guise of “revitalization,” officials from the Asunción City Council painted the murals on the cultural block white a year after La Chispa left the space, following the indictment. Coronel maintains that this is proof of the cruelty and seeks to “erase any trace of diversity in the city.”

Sanctuary of the underground

On Estrella Street between Colón and Montevideo, La Chispa became a place where art and community could meet without an admission fee. What began as free cultural activities grew thanks to activists, neighbors, and artists who donated their time and talent. Fundraising activities, food fairs, plays, concerts, and poetry festivals were held. 

Over time, La Chispa was recognized by the National Secretariat of Culture's "Points of Culture" program in 2022. It was the "Sanctuary of the Underground" where Café Tacuba, Aterciopelados, El Kuelgue, Las Ligas Menores, Manu Chao, Purahéi Soul, and Milkshake shared the bill with artists who were taking the stage for the first time; a place where community always came before commercialism.

The Minister of Culture elaborated on the definition of “culture.” She highlighted the work of La Chispa within the framework of its activities in the Historic Center. “It is a cultural center officially recognized in 2022 by the previous administration. It energizes cultural activity, emerging artists, the reconversion of the historic center, and provides work for many people with fairs. Thanks to La Chispa (the activities) in public spaces, which were always authorized by the Municipality of Asunción and supported by the Ministry of Culture, many artists gained visibility and several became icons of Paraguayan culture.”

Sergio Alvarenga, musician and writer, was a witness on the third day of the public trial. “When the municipality organizes a rock concert and people they consider desirable attend, it's all good. But if La Chispa organizes it and the audience is 'shady' in their eyes, then it's wrong.” In his opinion, what's bothersome isn't the volume, but the refusal to accept cultural expressions that aren't considered art.

For Milena, the indictment also reveals the disorganized and arbitrary nature of urban management. "The municipality applied a 2004 ordinance, repealed by Law 6390, instead of the current regulations that allow much higher noise levels. Under that logic, no cultural activity could take place," she warns. The defense is confident that this technical argument can reverse the case, but acknowledges that the cultural dispute is more difficult to win.

"To create culture is to create a city"

Meanwhile, the community that formed around La Chispa (fairgoers, emerging artists, neighbors, activists) is grieving the loss of a space that was both an economic lifeline and a creative refuge. “I didn't find anything like it,” says Alvarenga. “It was a showcase for those of us who don't fit into the commercial circuit.”

As the city grows unchecked, it pushes out its inhabitants in a context of gentrification. Gas stations and supermarkets are proliferating, the vehicle fleet is growing unchecked, and public spaces and urban forests are disappearing. 

La Chispa, which is now part of the Escucha Network and works with the National Secretariat of Culture to ensure that these spaces receive municipal recognition and protection, faces a threat that goes beyond its walls. If it falls, it will not only be a loss for art, but for cultural democracy in Paraguay. Because every time a place like La Chispa goes dark, the possibility of imagining a freer, more creative, and more communal city also goes dark. Milena Ruiz Díaz sums it up this way: “Creating culture is also creating a city. And today what's at stake is the very possibility of that city being diverse.”