A bill introduced by Deputy Saúl González (ANR-Central) in Paraguay’s Chamber of Deputies proposes establishing a permanent policy for research, preservation, teaching and dissemination concerning Acosta Ñu and the Campaign of the Cordilleras. The initiative has been sent to the chamber’s committees for review and has not been enacted.
The text addresses the events of August 16, 1869, during the final stage of the War of the Triple Alliance, and recognizes society’s right to know the historical truth and preserve the collective memory associated with the episode. The proposal also seeks to bring together and strengthen instruments currently distributed across different laws and institutions, creating coordinated mechanisms without replacing the responsibilities of public bodies.
The Acosta Ñu battlefield, in Eusebio Ayala, in the department of Cordillera, is already recognized as Natural, Cultural and Archaeological Heritage under Resolution No. 157/2017 of the National Secretariat of Culture, based on Law No. 5,621/2016 on cultural heritage protection. The bill would complement this framework with a coordinated policy for research, documentary preservation and dissemination.
The measures envisaged include digitizing archives and other sources, preparing historical maps, installing interpretive signage, and producing educational and audiovisual materials based on verifiable documentation and academic research. The study of the Campaign of the Cordilleras would cover not only military operations but also their social, territorial and demographic effects, including population displacement and the destruction of communities.
Acosta Ñu and the Campaign of the Cordilleras would also be included among the priority areas for the educational tourism tools provided for under Law No. 6,755/2021. The plan includes guided visits, field research and school projects linked to the historic site, expanding its educational use and access to sources on the conflict.
The bill also proposes creating the Historical Committee of Acosta Ñu and the Campaign of the Cordilleras, a consultative, technical and academic body made up on an ad honorem basis of Paraguayan specialists and, when necessary, foreign experts. Its members would not receive remuneration, and the committee would not assume powers currently assigned to state institutions.
Coordination would involve the Ministry of Education and Sciences, the National Secretariat of Culture and the Paraguayan National Audiovisual Institute, along with the possibility of agreements with universities, archives and museums. If approved, the measures could guide future heritage policy, history education and cultural tourism initiatives in Paraguay. The proposal recognizes August 16 and the historic site as pillars of remembrance and cultural appreciation, while maintaining the celebration of Children’s Day in Paraguay, established by Decree No. 27,484 of 1948.