Uruguay

Traveler assistance on international bus journeys through South America should cover every country on the route, medical transport, border delays, missed connections and baggage problems, with accessible support channels even without internet.

Paraguayan exports under the maquila regime totaled $1.01 billion from January to August 2026, up 26% in one year, with a positive trade balance of $481 million, driven by auto parts, garments, beverages and aluminum manufactures, mainly for Mercosur.

Paraguay exported 75 products to 43 new destinations between January and July 2026, including biodiesel to Singapore, in a diversification drive that generated US$5.5 million from that shipment, according to Rediex data.

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.

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.

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 has the third lowest sovereign risk in Latin America and was recognized as the second best country in South America to establish a new residence, with experts highlighting its advantages in energy, taxes, water, and stability for attracting investments.

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.

Former manager of Uruguay's National Administration of Power Plants and Electrical Transmissions (UTE), Carlos Pombo, stated that Paraguay has a "brutal advantage" in the regional electricity market and highlighted the Uruguayan experience with long-term contracts, smart meters, and combating energy losses as examples for the sector.

The Development Bank of Latin America and the Caribbean (CAF) will expand its infrastructure fund manager, CAF Asset Management Corp (CAF-AM), into Paraguay and Peru, following positive results in Uruguay and Colombia, with the aim of attracting private capital for strategic projects.

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.

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 recorded deflation of 0.3% in June, reducing its annual inflation rate to 2.1%, the second lowest in the region, behind only Ecuador.

Taiwan was the primary destination, purchasing 86% of the pork exported by Paraguay in the first half of the year, which saw an 11% growth in volume and a 15% increase in revenue.

Paraguay and Colombia strengthen cooperation against drug trafficking and transnational organized crime in meeting led by SENAD.

The EU's sanitary restrictions on Brazilian beef create opportunities for Paraguay to expand its exports to Europe, competing with Uruguay and Argentina for market share.

The price of live pigs in Paraguay has fallen to G. 9,700/kg, the lowest level since 2023, driven by regional and global factors such as export blockades, sanitary outbreaks, and shifts in demand.

In 2026, Paraguay's apparent labor productivity was US$13,728 per person, placing it below eight Latin American countries, including Brazil, Chile, and Uruguay, and surpassing only Bolivia.

The Paraguayan forestry sector exported $8,575,626 worth of wood products in May 2026, reaching 28 countries, with the United States as the main destination, according to the National Forestry Institute (Infona).

Senave recorded a record in Paraguay's stevia exports through May 2026, with a 518% increase compared to the previous year, totaling 142 tons exported mainly to Argentina, Uruguay, Chile, and Spain.

Paraguayan exports with a Certificate of Origin totaled $693 million in May, with the Americas as the main market ($510 million), led by Brazil ($190 million), followed by Argentina ($170 million) and Chile ($60 million).

Paraguay ended May with the third-lowest country risk in Latin America and the Caribbean, with an EMBI of 104 basis points, trailing only Uruguay (61 points) and Chile (86 points), according to data from Bloomberg Línea based on the index compiled by J.P. Morgan.