Paraguay’s business mission to the United States secured more than $1 billion in investments, including $700 million for an events center in Asunción and $200 million for the forestry sector.
Marco Riquelme
Pytagua coverage mentioning Marco Riquelme.
Santiago Peña met in New York with businesspeople Santiago Jariton, María Bertha Peroni and Daniel Hiller, described as driving one of the most important entertainment and urban-development projects in Paraguay’s history, to present a complex on Asunción’s Costanera Norte with an arena, event center, hotel and shopping mall aimed at Paraguay and the region, with construction expected to begin in early 2027 and backing from the government and the Municipality of Asunción.
Santiago Peña began a 10-day trip to Venezuela and the United States to try to restore relations with Caracas, address Petropar’s debt of about $300 million to PDVSA and seek investment in New York, while Isaías Fretes was appointed health minister after leaving the IPS board of directors.
Paraguay launched the Paraguay Industrial program, with a US$100 million fund and loans of up to US$2.5 million per company, while proposing to Congress the merger of the Ministry of Industry and Commerce (MIC) with the National Secretariat of Tourism (Senatur).
Alto Paraná is home to 160 of Paraguay’s 324 maquila companies and receives about 90% of business inquiries from Brazil, while the 17th Expo Paraguay Brasil seeks to attract more than US$600 million in investment through productive integration between the two countries.
Paraguay will host the Ibero-American Country Brand Forum for the first time in November, with 17 delegations and a program expected to include talks on global brands, training sessions, business meetings and business networking activities, while the government announced 43 new licenses and nine renewals, bringing the current total to more than 150 licensed companies, including new and previously licensed businesses.
Expo Madera 2026 brings together 17 countries in Luque through Saturday, September 12, to promote Paraguay’s forest industrialization. Sector exports reached US$101 million in 2025 and totaled US$59.9 million in the first seven months of 2026.
Paraguay Business Week will bring together investment, trade, maquila and support for micro, small and medium-sized enterprises from November 11 to 13 at the TASK Center in Hernandarias, with more than 10,000 participants expected and US$1 billion in projected business, strengthening business ties between Paraguay and Brazil.
The Ministry of Industry and Commerce launched MIC MAP, a platform that integrates territorial, productive, logistics, energy, social and trade data from across Paraguay to guide public policy, investment and productive planning.
Paraguay’s manufacturing industry has grown and is seeking long-term credit, stable energy, training and technology to expand investment, jobs and exports.
Paraguay and Chile are assessing the creation of an electrical interconnection network to strengthen regional energy security, enable energy exchange, and protect against system vulnerabilities.
Paraguay's Minister of Industry and Commerce, Marco Riquelme, announced a new strategy to replace the cooperation and donations model with Taiwan with one focused on commercial transactions, including direct soybean sales and expanded meat exports.
Paraguay's hotel sector supports merging Senatur with MIC, while travel agencies express caution about the proposal to create a new integrated ministry.
Paraguay sends 50 tons of humanitarian aid to Colombia after a magnitude 7.4 earthquake in Chocó leaves 294 dead, 3,935 injured, 320 missing, and damages infrastructure, housing, and animals.
An Argentine commercial mission with about 100 businesspeople is in Paraguay to conduct business rounds, mainly in the food and beverage sectors, aiming to open new trade channels.
Paraguay's Tourism Minister, Jacinto Santa María, resigned after three months for "personal and dignity reasons", and the government announced the merger of the portfolio with the Ministry of Industry and Commerce.
Paraguay recorded a 40% increase in foreign direct investment in 2025, driven by hydropower and telecommunications, while the government launches strategies like the 'Industrial Revolution' to attract more capital and double GDP with sectoral reforms.
Paraguay's Ministry of Industry and Commerce has created a business council to ensure continuity of sectoral policies across governments and presented a zoning plan to develop specialized industrial hubs in regions like Caaguazú and Caazapá.
The Paraguayan government has announced a full exemption and discounts of up to 75% on more than 100 procedures for micro and small businesses holding the Mipyme ID. The measure was presented at the Mipyme 360 Forum to boost the sector that generates the majority of jobs in the country.
Wholesale merchants at the Mercado de Abasto in Asunción are denouncing the persistence of a structure of corruption, extortion, and severe insecurity, threatening protests if five accused employees are not removed.
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.
Paraguay has increased the mandatory biodiesel blend in common diesel to between 8% and 10% starting this Sunday, despite protests from the fuel sector, which warns of potential price increases and engine damage.
The Taiwanese company Master Bus will invest USD 30 million to manufacture electric buses in Paraguay, a project expected to generate thousands of jobs and has the support of the Paraguayan government.
Minister Marco Riquelme announced a forum in Silicon Valley on June 26 to position Paraguay as a regional hub for artificial intelligence, clean energy, and digital infrastructure, bringing together leaders from the tech sector and promoting investments in the country.