The new president of the Social Welfare Institute (IPS), Isaías Fretes, stated that his administration will begin by 'putting the house in order' before moving forward with reforming the entity's Organic Charter. The statement was made during one of his several public appearances since taking office on April 22, 2026.
For analysts, the promise sounds vague if not accompanied by concrete measures. "If by 'putting the house in order' he means adopting emergency measures or 'patches' to alleviate the crisis of shortages of supplies and medicines, his statements make sense," observes a commentator from an opinion column in La Nación. "Otherwise, no, because it is hardly possible to bring order to this institution without the urgent structural reforms that cause its recurring crises."
Fretes faces the challenge of reversing the legacy left by his predecessor, Jorge Brítez, who after 30 months in office resigned without leaving a clear management plan. The new president has less time than Brítez to show results, and the pressure for immediate action is great.
Among the priorities cited are cleaning up the drug formulary, investigating alleged corruption cases, and an audit of IPS properties, which will be conducted by the auditor of the Executive Branch, Alberto Cabrera, former administrative director of Itaipú under the government of Mario Abdo Benítez.
However, critics argue that Fretes' speech repeats the pattern of announcements without execution that marked the previous administration. "What policyholders complain about are concrete changes in management," says an expert from the same column. "Basic things, like ending the shortages in hospitals and the ordeal of getting an appointment, exam, or surgery."
The situation is compared to Camilo Pérez's campaign for the mayor of Asunción, which promised to solve problems of potholes, trash, and security. At IPS, the analogy would be ending the lack of medicines and the difficulty of scheduling services.
Fretes insists it is possible to 'chew gum and cross the street' at the same time, that is, deal with urgencies while discussing fundamental reforms. But recent experience shows that without concrete actions, words lose value. IPS serves about 1 million policyholders and beneficiaries, and the pressure for results is growing.
This article reflects the perspective of a columnist from La Nación and may not represent independently verified facts. Caution is advised regarding the generalization of criticisms and the interpretation of the information presented.