The administration of Asunción Mayor Luis Bello is facing questions in the City Council over plans to rent up to four garbage collection trucks and two passenger transport trucks, with a maximum estimated cost of G. 3.5 billion. The Director of Risk Management, José Manuel Jara, justified the measure as part of an emergency plan for the El Niño phenomenon, which could affect around 20,000 families between November 2026 and January 2027. He mentioned the possibility of relocating affected people to the Nueva Asunción area in Presidente Hayes in extreme scenarios.
Councilman Álvaro Grau questioned the need for the rental, noting that the municipality recently purchased 11 new trucks and already has a fleet of 29 vehicles. He suggested there are suspicions of favoritism, as companies that already rent trucks to the municipality could benefit again.
Separately, the Director of Urban Cleaning, Máximo Medina, did not attend a City Council session to provide clarifications on the purchase of the 11 trucks, citing a need for more time to gather information. Grau accused the administration of carrying out a "disgustingly tailored tender," with requirements that only two companies could meet.
Residents of neighborhoods such as Loma Pytã, Trinidad, and Mbocayaty met with Bello to demand a solution for the lack of public transport on the route of the defunct line 16.2. They allege that a City Council resolution passed in April, authorizing the company San Isidro S.R.L. to take over the route, was not fulfilled due to obstructions at the Traffic Directorate. The residents also oppose the entry of line 6, which they consider inadequate.
In Mbocayaty, known as La Piedad, residents denounced alleged intimidation by Grupo Vázquez SAE, which reportedly intends to build a gated community in the area. Miriam Ramírez, who has lived there for 23 years, claims to have a parallel legal process filed by an alleged front man for the company.
Amid the controversies, the municipality announced ASUFEST 489, a free festival on the Costanera on August 15 to celebrate Asunción's 489th anniversary, with entry requiring a donation of non-perishable food. The administration stated the event will have no cost to public coffers, being financed by private sponsors.
Furthermore, the Asunción 500 Years Commission and the First Lady's office are calling for the International Forum Asunción 500 Years on August 13 at the Cultural Center of the Port. The event aims to define an agenda for the urban transformation of the Historic Center, with support from multilateral organizations such as the World Bank, the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), and the Development Bank of Latin America and the Caribbean (CAF).
For this weekend, the National Secretariat of Culture is promoting activities at the Port and in the Historic Center, including a crafts fair, workshops, and museum openings, as part of preparations for the city's celebrations.