Supermarket fire verdict triggers riots in Paraguay
Rioters looted a supermarket and clashed with police in Paraguay's capital Asuncion on Tuesday as rage flared up over the verdict relating to a fire in a supermarket in 2004 that killed nearly 400 people, according to reports reaching here.

A fire at Ycua Bolanos supermarket in Asuncion killed 364 and injured around 500 more on Aug. 1, 2004. The owner of the supermarket, his son and a security guard locked the doors when the blaze broke up in order to prevent fleeing shoppers from leaving without payment.

Shop owner Juan Pio Paiva, his son Victor Daniel Paiva and security guard Daniel Areco were convicted of homicide by negligence, instead of the criminal homicide pressed for by prosecutors. The three defendants got a sentence of five years in jail, far from an imprisonment of 25 years sought by the prosecutors.

"The judges' position has lit a fire in all our hearts," said demonstrator Clara Benitez, sobbing outside the court. "There is no justice in Paraguay."

Furious demonstrators looted the supermarket and clashed with police. Some demonstrators even threatened to murder the children of the judges in the case.

Paraguayan police sent officers on horseback, but failed to quell the riot. Both protestors and police were injured in the clash.

Paraguay's Interior Minister Rogelio Benitez told media that he was willing to speak to survivors and family members of victims, but he noted that the ministry's duty was to restore order in the capital.

"We must restore order in the area using all necessary mans at our disposal," he said. "We must also reach an agreement that allows peace to be restored."

Mateo Balmelli, senator from the ruling Colorado Party, told Paraguayan media that the sentence is "unjust and cannot be seen as a just decision from anyone's point of view. It is a scandal that 400 people were burned to death in Paraguay and those responsible only receive five years in jail."

Also on Tuesday, four shareholders of the supermarket were convicted of exposing people to danger at work.

A victim, who had been suffering from the effects of smoke inhalation for two years, died on Monday.