The Ministry of Public Works and Communications (MOPC), through the Vice Ministry of Transportation, installed the Advisory Council for Public Passenger Transportation in the Asunción Metropolitan Area on Tuesday. The advisory body was created by Law No. 7,617/2026 on Transportation Modernization and regulated by Decree No. 5,969/2026.
The first meeting was attended by representatives from the public sector, the three transportation employers' unions, and user organizations. Vice Minister of Transportation Emiliano R. Fernández highlighted the inclusion of passengers in the debate. "For us, it is a satisfaction to incorporate the passenger sector, which has an important voice within the public transportation system," he stated. He announced that participation criteria, a code of ethics, and guidelines for future sessions will be defined.
Among the topics discussed were fares and other points related to the operation of the metropolitan system. Mauricio Maluff, a member of the Opama organization, classified the measure as an advance. According to him, Opama was created in 2023 to expand citizen participation in transportation discussions, which previously occurred mainly between entrepreneurs and authorities.
Representatives from the Ministry of Economy and Finance, the Ministry of Industry and Trade, and the Consumer and User Defense Secretariat (Sedeco) were also present. The regulations provide for participation mechanisms, convening according to the topics, and the preparation of minutes for each meeting.