IPS President Isaías Fretes discovered hospital equipment valued at $20 million abandoned and unused at the Central Hospital, prompting the opening of audits and the possibility of reports to the Public Ministry for alleged damage to public property.
Jorge Brítez
Pytagua coverage mentioning Jorge Brítez.
Senator Rafael Filizzola demanded explanations from IPS president Isaías Fretes over the transfer of billions of guaranis from the social security fund to Ueno bank, which is linked to a former business partner of President Santiago Peña, following the relaxation of rules that reduced financial security requirements for the institution.
The Hospiclean Consortium was reported to the DNCP for paying cleaning workers at the IPS below the legal minimum wage, despite declaring costs of up to G. 9.5 million per worker per month, while the outsourcing contract, signed in November 2024, had a total value of G. 126.9 million.
Paraguay's Social Security Institute (IPS) announced a contingency plan to address the medicine shortage crisis affecting its entire healthcare network. President Isaías Fretes confirmed the removal of nearly a thousand items from the formulary, sparking debate over the effectiveness of the measures.
Paraguay's Social Security Institute (IPS) operated for years with parallel accounting systems, flouting the law that requires exclusive use of the official SIAF system. The practice led to million-dollar observations by the Comptroller General's Office and contracts exceeding G. 122 billion in technology, while the new internal audit recommends eliminating the double recording.
Isaías Fretes, the new president of the Social Welfare Institute (IPS), says he will prioritize emergency measures before discussing structural reforms. Critics argue the approach repeats the predecessor's mistakes and that management needs concrete actions, not just announcements.
Data from the 2025 Social Security Statistical Bulletin show that at IPS, the average benefit for retirees exceeds the average salary of active contributors, while other funds, such as Cajubi and Bancária, maintain high replacement ratios but below 100%. The Ferroviária fund has the lowest rate, at only 21.7%.
An audit by the Executive Branch found that, of approximately 100 recommendations made to internal control bodies, only 2.5% were implemented during Jorge Brítez's tenure at the Social Insurance Institute (IPS). Two accounting systems with abysmal differences in balances and a risky procedure allowing payment to medication suppliers without proof of delivery were identified.
Paraguay's Chamber of Deputies approved a series of information requests regarding suspicious tenders at the Institute of Social Welfare (IPS), totaling US$63 million. Deputies from different parties called for the former head of the agency, Jorge Brítez, to face criminal prosecution, while criticizing current president Isaías Fretes for not having filed a formal complaint so far.
Paraguay’s Comptroller General’s Office (CGR) has fined 27 former lawmakers — senators and deputies — for failing to submit their sworn asset declarations on time. The penalties range from 5 million to over 29 million guaranis, and three of the former legislators have yet to regularize their situation.
A sworn declaration submitted to the Office of the Comptroller General of the Republic shows that the assets of Jorge Brítez, former president of the Social Security Institute (IPS), increased by more than G. 682 million during his term, ending with 19 properties and a net worth exceeding G. 32.5 billion.
The current president of the Social Security Institute (IPS), Isaías Fretes, and the Auditor General of the Executive Branch, Alberto Cabrera, said that the previous administration, headed by Jorge Brítez, implemented only 2 of 100 audit recommendations, classifying internal control as 'failed'.
Lawyers Juan José Bernis and María Muñoz filed a criminal complaint against the former president of the Institute of Social Welfare (IPS), Jorge Brítez, and other former directors, for alleged irregularities in five tenders totaling G. 391,574,472,965. The action was filed with the Public Prosecutor's Office and points to breach of trust and misappropriation of public funds.
Paraguay's Social Security Institute (IPS) activated a contingency plan due to shortages and transferred the definition of the formulary to doctors, after finding that only 200 medications (45% of the total) consume 95% of available resources. The measure seeks efficiency and elimination of unnecessary supplies.
IPS President Isaías Fretes announced the exclusion of 817 obsolete surgical supplies from the vademecum, but the National Association of IPS Insured expresses distrust and demands criminal investigations into past purchases, in addition to declaring a state of health emergency.
Mirtha Arias, the new IPS councilor, plans to reduce contribution evasion in border cities using technology and partnerships with DNIT and Mitic, aiming to increase revenue and improve insured members' health.