Argentina

Paraguay ended 2025 with 16 banks, maintaining virtually the same number of institutions since 2013 and ranking among Latin America’s smallest banking markets, amid a regional decline from 551 to 524 banks over the period.

Paraguay and Argentina signed treaties in Buenos Aires on August 31, 2026, to facilitate the recognition and enforcement of court judgments and coordinate the international return of children and safe returns; the agreements still require domestic approval before taking effect.

A savory cake-shaped chipa presentation offered by businesses in Argentina drew comments from Paraguayan users on social media.

ECLAC has lowered Paraguay's growth projection to 4.3% in 2026, keeping it among the highest in a region expected to grow 2.2% on average, despite warnings about vulnerabilities due to commodity dependence and structural problems.

The price of Paraguayan beef reached a historic record as the United States suspends import tariffs for ground beef, creating a strategic opportunity for the country's exports.

Senave issued a sanitary alert against the cassava 'Witches' Broom' pest that threatens food security and warned that the El Niño phenomenon may favor the emergence of other pests in various crops.

South America recorded a record grain harvest in 2026, with historic production in Paraguay, recovery in Argentina, and record-breaking output in Brazil, reshaping the global food supply.

A tomato oversupply in Paraguay, caused by weather conditions and expanded planting, threatens to cause a sharp drop in prices, while authorities monitor the situation and producers warn of the need for market balance.

Paraguayan exports of soybeans and derivatives totaled $3.5 billion in the first seven months of 2026, a 41% growth compared to the previous year, with Argentina as the main destination.

Swiss chef Javier Rocca, after traveling to 62 countries, chose Paraguay to live and do business, highlighting the country's economic stability, social peace, and banking system as decisive factors.

H&M has opened its first store in Paraguay, with a second unit scheduled for next week, and confirmed plans to expand to Argentina in 2027, as part of its growth strategy in Latin America.

Paraguay's hotel sector recorded 43% growth in the first half of 2026, with an average occupancy of 61% driven mainly by business tourism and markets from Argentina and Brazil.

Paraguayan President Santiago Peña has enacted the law approving the Mercosur agreement to provide consular assistance to citizens in countries where their nation lacks representation.

The USDA projects a favorable scenario for the global soybean supply in the 2026/27 crop year, while cereal production is expected to face a tighter supply.

The Paraguayan passport rose to 28th place in the global ranking in July 2026, with visa-free access to 145 countries, rounding out the list of the ten most powerful in the Americas, behind Chile, Argentina, Brazil, and others.

President Lula defended military spending by citing a Paraguayan invasion of Brazil, while Paraguayan historians dispute this version, attributing the start of the war to Brazilian intervention in Uruguay.

The World Bank has kept Paraguay in the upper-middle-income category, a position shared by the majority of South American countries, while Uruguay and Chile are classified as high-income and Bolivia as lower-middle-income.

Paraguayan banana producers warn of a crisis in the sector, which supports over 20,000 families, due to the devaluation of the dollar against the guaraní, which harms exports, and a widespread increase in operational costs.

An expert reports that approximately one thousand flights carrying cocaine land monthly on clandestine airstrips in Paraguay, primarily in the Central region bordering the Paraguay River. From there, the drugs travel via the Paraguay-Paraná waterway to Europe or overland to Brazil and Argentina, in an operation facilitated by bribes and low state capacity.

The Argentine coffee shop chain Café Martínez has announced a $35 million investment to quintuple its network, expanding from its current 250 stores to 600 by 2035.

Paraguay has made it mandatory to blend between 8% and 10% biodiesel into common diesel, a measure supported by the government and the biofuels sector to encourage local production, which they claim is technically safe for engines.

The Paraguayan Senate is considering an open skies agreement with Argentina that, by replacing a 1964 treaty, aims to reduce flight costs and create new routes by granting greater freedom to airlines.

Paraguay recorded deflation of 0.3% in June, leading price stability in the region, while its energy exports fell 12.3% in the first half of the year due to increased domestic consumption.

Paraguay's maquila export regime grew by 25% in the first half of 2026, reaching $717 million, with the Mercosur trade bloc as its main destination and a 6% increase in jobs.