Victor Bernal (politician)

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Victor Luís Bernal Garay is a Paraguayan politician, a senator for the Colorado Party, and the former director of Itaipú Binacional, the Brazil–Paraguay hydroelectric company. He is an accountant by training.

Bernal was appointed Paraguayan director of Itaipú in September 2003. Itaipú is described as a major power producer tied to the Itaipú Dam on the Paraná River, on the Brazil–Paraguay border.

During his time at Itaipú and later in the Senate, Bernal and his family were the subject of official probes into his finances and use of Itaipú funds. He and his wife, María Elizabeth Pleva, faced embezzlement charges and spent several years in legal battles.

He resigned from Itaipú in January 2008 to run for the Senate and was elected in April 2008. In the Senate, he has been active on energy and public spending issues and has occasionally denounced government agencies. He also faced ongoing investigations over alleged misuse of Itaipú funds for campaign purposes and other public-works and financing questions. The legal process involved many prosecutors and judges, with some charges dropped and others continuing, and Bernal sometimes had parliamentary immunity during the proceedings.

The case has encompassed accusations of overcharging for projects in Minga Guazú, support for the Tesãi Foundation, and using Itaipú assets to aid Colorado Party campaigns. Over the years, investigations and political battles continued, with varying outcomes on different charges.

Family ties to Itaipú and its related entities drew public scrutiny. Bernal’s wife held a role at Itaipú, and several relatives worked at the pension fund Cajubi or in other Itaipú-related positions. In recent years, his relatives were placed in public roles under the current government, including his son, nephew, and daughter.

In 2025, a court ruled civil damages against the former directors of Cajubi. Bernal’s lawyer said Bernal was not investigated in that matter, claiming this was due to the “complicit silence” of others.

Victor Bernal’s career thus spans a high-profile move from Itaipú to the Paraguayan Senate, marked by ongoing investigations, political controversy, and notable family involvement in public institutions.