Encarnación

A doctors’ strike in Paraguay enters its fifth day with 39 pediatric surgeons threatening to resign from Monday, while the government proposes a phased 76% increase over 14 months and lawmakers disagree over funding sources.

Santiago Peña has proposed turning Paraguay into a regional logistics hub by expanding the Paraguay-Paraná Waterway and the Bioceanic Corridor, improving air connectivity and modernizing institutions. The government’s goal is to gradually double the volume of river cargo.

The Ministry of Health assigned 44 ambulances to Rally Paraguay, prompting criticism over the temporary concentration of resources and raising questions about emergency capacity, public-resource allocation and regional event planning.

The historic ships Cañonero Paraguay and Patrullero Capitán Cabral docked for the first time in Encarnación, attracting thousands of visitors during their stay linked to the World Rally Championship (WRC), after a journey that faced a storm and consumed 31,852 liters of fuel.

Paraguay's National Police has more than 120,000 identity documents and passports unclaimed by citizens and warns of fraud attempts by Brazilian criminals from gangs seeking to obtain Paraguayan documents.

Itapúa department in Paraguay is preparing to host the 2026 World Rally Championship stage, expecting to surpass the previous edition's attendance, generate temporary jobs, boost local tourism, and implement a comprehensive security plan and naval attractions.

The Prosecutor's Office accused a couple of operating a pyramid scheme in Asunción since late 2025, promising high returns on events such as the pilgrimage to Caacupé, while in Encarnación a woman received alternative measures to imprisonment for diverting 200 million guaranis in a currency exchange operation.

President Javier Milei's government has regulated restrictions on access to Argentine public healthcare for foreigners without permanent residency, who must now pay for non-urgent care except in emergency cases.

The Tourism Minister and the Governor of Itapúa launched a tourist guide for the WRC Ueno Rally del Paraguay 2026, whose organizers project the attraction of 400,000 visitors with new attractions at the event.

Paraguay reaches the milestone of 200 aeromedical transfers while preparing for the arrival of storms and a cold front with strong winds and a sharp drop in temperature.

The Encarnación Regional Hospital has become a mental health referral center in the interior of Paraguay with a new psychiatric unit, while the Itapúa General Hospital, its partner in the project, celebrates one year of operation with hundreds of thousands of consultations that reinforce healthcare access in the country's southern region.

The Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) confirmed that the SIFEN electronic invoicing system increased the VAT base by 27.3%, declared VAT by 31.3%, and the tax payable by 40.7% for companies in Paraguay, according to a study submitted to the local tax authority, DNIT.

Paraguay is experiencing its biggest real estate boom, with projections to reach $3 billion in 2026, fueled by investments, economic stability, and high demand in cities like Asunción, Ciudad del Este, and Encarnación.

The 2026 World Rally Championship (WRC) round in Paraguay, hosted by Encarnación, is projected to generate an economic impact of $200 million and attract 400,000 spectators, cementing the event's status after it was recognized as the best rally in the world in 2025.

Around 150 Argentine brands are expanding their franchises into Paraguay, attracted by tax advantages such as the "Triple 10" system, monetary stability, and competitive costs, with investments ranging from affordable amounts to millions of dollars.

A technical report from the School of Engineering of the National University of Asunción (FIUNA) has identified low-resistance concrete and expansions without adequate reinforcements as the causes of the building collapse in Encarnación, which killed Monserrat Brítez and her grandmother in April 2025.

The hotel network in Itapúa, Paraguay, already has 70% of its 6,000-bed capacity reserved for the 2026 World Rally Championship, which takes place in August and is expected to attract 400,000 spectators.

The governments of Paraguay and the United States issued a joint statement denouncing cyber espionage operations against Paraguayan state networks, which they attribute to actors linked to the Chinese government.

The final report on the building collapse in Encarnación points to construction flaws, such as discrepancies in the plans and the lack of a signature from a responsible engineer, and has been forwarded to the Public Prosecutor's Office, which has named four people as defendants in the case.

Encarnación merchants hold a monthly discount fair to boost sales during the low season, caused by the end of the high season and the economic crisis in Argentina.

Horacio Cartes and Colorado governors gathered to define the Colorado Party's strategy to win as many municipalities as possible in the October 4 elections, which traditionally serve as a political barometer for the government's standing and future national elections.

The Public Prosecutor's Office of Paraguay has surpassed 100,000 reports filed so far this year, and Attorney General Emiliano Rolón Fernández has called for more resources in infrastructure, technology, and personnel to meet the growing demand.

The National Animal Quality and Health Service (Senacsa) has extended the second vaccination period against foot-and-mouth disease and brucellosis in Paraguay until June 26, with data registration open until July 3, due to weather conditions. The department of Itapúa has reached approximately 90% of the targeted establishments, with more than 101,000 animals vaccinated.

Luis Szarán, born in Encarnación in 1953 and who arrived in Asunción at the age of 12 on a yerba mate truck without money for the fare, has been the conductor of the Asunción City Symphony Orchestra (OSCA) since 1978 and its principal conductor since 1990. He has held the position for nearly five decades, performed over 2,500 concerts internationally, composed around sixty works, and published the Dictionary of Music in Paraguay in 1999.