río Paraná

The MADES environment ministry, the Paraguayan Naval Prefecture and the Yacyretá Binational Entity (EBY) are carrying out fishing controls in the Ayolas area during the upstream migration of dourado and boga, checking licenses, tagging records and the minimum sizes established by law.

When the Itaipú reservoir was filled in 1982, Paraguay’s Operativo Mymba Kuéra recovered 27,150 wild animals; the BBC reports around 11,000 more on the Brazilian side. The operation was remarkable, but it could mitigate only part of the damage: the new reservoir flooded about 1,350 square kilometres, submerged the Saltos del Guairá and permanently altered habitats and fish communities. Historical sources even disagree on the total number of animals rescued.

Itaipu opened its spillway on Sunday to release excess water and control the reservoir level after increased rainfall, with the flow reaching 3,100 m³/s and no impact on electricity supplies to Brazil and Paraguay.

The Paraguay River continues to fall at most major ports, while the Paraná records isolated rises attributed to discharges and precipitation in the upper basin; forecasts point to a dramatic change associated with the consolidation of El Niño, with more frequent and intense rainfall and possible flash rises and flooding if the projections are confirmed.

The expansion of Paraguay’s private ports requires permanent dredging of the Paraguay and Paraná rivers, coordination with Argentina and improvements to access roads, since 80% to 90% of import and export cargo depends on the waterway and road transport.

The National Police and ANDE seized 25 cryptocurrency-mining machines from a residence in Ciudad del Este after residents reported intense noise, and the case was referred to the Public Prosecutor’s Office.

Amateur anglers from Alto Paraná caught an approximately 90-kilogram freshwater stingray in the Paraguay River, at Posadas del Tebicuary, a rural locality in Tacuaras, Ñeembucú, with help from local guides to bring it to shore.

Operational problems in Montevideo, restrictions on convoy formation width and Argentina’s US$1.30-per-net-registered-ton toll, charged on both outbound and return journeys, are raising costs and uncertainty for Paraguayan cargo transported along the Paraná–Paraguay waterway, as the country seeks transshipment alternatives at Punta del Arenal Sur.

Paraguay and Argentina are studying a $5 billion binational hydropower project on the Paraná River, with 2,880 megawatts of capacity, possible private operation, an estimated six-year construction period and the resettlement of more than 220 families, while financing, environmental impacts and the operating model remain under review.

Paraguay's National Police arrested two Brazilian citizens suspected of belonging to the First Capital Command (PCC) criminal faction in Ciudad del Este. One was using a false identity and had an international arrest warrant for drug trafficking. They entered the country from Argentina clandestinely and were presumed to be planning to cross illegally into Argentina.

Experts warn that Paraguay faces an imminent energy crisis by 2030 due to lack of new investments and growing demand, while a binational plant project with Argentina, Corpus Christi, is reintroduced as a potential solution.

A gang in Ciudad del Este has been kidnapping and robbing victims, predominantly Brazilian tourists, after luring them with fake profiles on the Grindr app, in a series of cases with the same modus operandi.

The Paraguay River reaches a historically low level at the port of Asunción, measuring 2.53 meters, due to a water deficit accumulated since 2019, despite the onset of the El Niño phenomenon.

Residents of Foz do Iguaçu and Presidente Franco are complaining about noise pollution caused by powerful sound equipment on the Paraguayan side, which crosses the Paraná River and disrupts rest along the border, despite a police enforcement operation that was carried out without continuity.

Paraguay and Argentina are making progress in defining the terms for the concession of dredging, signaling, and technological modernization works on the Paraná-Paraguay Waterway, with exclusive participation of Paraguayan companies in the consortia. The goal is to ensure 24-hour navigation, increase the operational draft of the Paraná River, and reduce logistical costs.

The International Friendship Bridge, the main connection between Ciudad del Este (Paraguay) and Foz do Iguaçu (Brazil), will have partial traffic interruptions on the nights of June 11 and 12 for maintenance work carried out by the concessionaire EPR Iguaçu, including pavement repairs and lighting system restoration. Pedestrian access will also be restricted in the work area, but crossing will remain available on the opposite side.

The Aguavista Airport Executive (AVA) was inaugurated on June 5, 2026, in San Juan del Paraná, in the department of Itapúa, Paraguay, becoming the first private aerodrome integrated into a residential complex in the region, with an investment of 17 million dollars in aeronautical infrastructure.

Itaipú transfers to Paraguay fell 12.53% in the first five months of 2026 compared with the same period in 2025, totaling $205,265,900, with the steepest drop in the Energy Cession Compensation, which declined 34.15%, while royalties fell 1.13% and benefits to ANDE rose 1.51%.

The Argentine provinces of Corrientes and Chaco have declared a temporary ban on all forms of surubí fishing in a shared stretch of the Paraná River, aiming to protect the species during a period of mass aggregation of fish. The Paraná River forms the Paraguay-Paraná waterway, which is of major importance to Paraguay's trade and ecology.

Itaipú Binacional plans to install up to 14,000 MW of floating solar power on its reservoir, a capacity equivalent to that of the current hydroelectric plant. By utilizing 10% of the water surface, the project aims to reduce reliance on hydropower and minimize evaporation. This initiative builds on the success of a pilot plant that already supplies part of the facility's internal consumption and is currently being expanded to include battery storage.