Paraguay's Ministry of Justice concluded, on May 18, 2026, Operation Umbral 2.5, which transferred 361 female inmates from six penitentiary centers to the Penitentiary Complex for Deprived-of-Liberty Women (COMPLE), in Emboscada. The operation, carried out under a strong logistical and security framework, marks the end of mixed prisons in the country and the definitive closure of the Juana María de Lara women's prison in Ciudad del Este.
Minister Rodrigo Nicora announced in a press conference that, from now on, all penal establishments will exclusively house men or women, without exception. The units in Concepción, Encarnación, San Juan Bautista, Villarrica, and Pedro Juan Caballero will no longer receive deprived-of-liberty women. “The government has settled a historical debt with the penitentiary system, especially with the most vulnerable population, which are women,” Nicora said, highlighting the progress in the social reintegration approach.
The measure also complies with the constitutional requirement to separate pretrial and convicted individuals. The closure of the Ciudad del Este prison follows the same path as the former Buen Pastor, already deactivated.