A large sign reading "Forgive us for being poor, Advisor Argaña" was displayed at the intersection of Pa'i Pérez and Azara streets in Asunción as a protest against José Emilio Argaña, the employers' representative on the Board of Directors of the Social Insurance Institute (IPS).
The demonstration follows the revelation that Argaña requested leave from his duties between June 8 and 22, while continuing to receive his full stipend during that period. The advisor justified the request as necessary for work related to the internal elections of the National Republican Association (ANR).
However, the coincidence of the dates with the group stage of the World Cup, in which the Paraguayan national team will play matches, intensified the criticism. The situation also occurs amid questions about the state of the health system, which faces funding and service challenges.
So far, there has been no official statement from the IPS on the case, and the information about the leave has not been independently corroborated by other sources.