The Volunteer Firefighter Corps of Paraguay (CBVP, known as yellows) and of Asunción (CBVA, blues) united in a public protest against the capital's city hall, which, according to them, has accumulated a debt of more than G. 10 billion. The amount corresponds to the transfer of 3.5% of the construction tax, established by Municipal Ordinance No. 186/12, which determines that 60% goes to the CBVP and 40% to the CBVA.
“We feel ignored,” said Lorena Canan, president of the CBVP, in an interview with Monumental 1080 radio. She stated that the last transfer received by the CBVP was in 2020, while the CBVA has not received any since 2022. “It's tiring to have to insist on something that is established and that the community has already paid to the city hall and it hasn't reached the firefighters,” she added.
According to data from the Directorate of Private Works, the city hall collected G. 43.8 billion in 2022; G. 75 billion in 2023; G. 84 billion in 2024; and G. 87 billion in just the first half of 2025. The institutions calculate that the accumulated debt exceeds G. 10 billion.
The volunteers warn that these funds are essential to finance fuel, vehicle maintenance, protective equipment, and training, directly affecting the capacity to respond to fires, rescues, and other emergencies in the capital.
After the protest gained traction, Mayor Luis Bello received the firefighters' representatives in his office on Tuesday. According to the city hall, Bello reaffirmed his commitment to unblock pending processes and instructed his team to review the necessary documentation to begin regularizing payments. A working group was set up, with a new meeting scheduled for next week.
Lorena Canan highlighted the mayor's “openness,” and Marcos Torres, from the CBVA, praised Bello's willingness to seek “quick solutions.” Both firefighter corps reiterated that the complaint is not political or partisan in nature, but rather aims to ensure compliance with the ordinance and the safety of the population.