A recent controversy over whether to hold the traditional military parade for Paraguay’s May 14-15 independence festivities has exposed deeper fractures in national identity and public discourse, according to an analysis by Ultima Hora.
The Ministry of Defense and the Secretariat of Culture initially suggested replacing the parade with a more “citizen and cultural” approach. This prompted sharp criticism from some legislators, who called it an “attack on nationality” and a sign of “allergy to the homeland.” A prominent journalist with a “new right” sovereignist rhetoric alleged the change was orchestrated by the World Economic Forum and “globalism” to destroy the Paraguayan nation-state.
Ultima Hora argues that such claims are “pathetic and dangerous,” reducing sovereignty to the spectacle of uniforms and tanks. The outlet contends that the “globalist” narrative, popularized by Donald Trump, mixes truths and half-truths to avoid refutation without appearing complicit with the enemy. While international organizations do have agendas, the article asserts that Paraguay’s real sovereignty erosion comes from internal actors, not Davos technocrats.
“Our sovereignty is not eroded by Davos technocrats: it is eroded by the capangas (local bosses) from within,” the piece states. It criticizes Culture Minister Adriana Ortiz for allegedly trying to replace “patriotic pride” with a “watered-down multicultural vision,” accusing opponents of fixating on a static historical memory where the armed forces are the sole foundation of the state.
The government, fearing being labeled “unpatriotic,” reversed course. Vice President Pedro Alliana quickly “corrected the course” to calm public opinion fueled by nostalgia for order and command. The parade was confirmed, but the question of what it means to be Paraguayan today remains unanswered.
Ultima Hora notes the irony that many who decry the parade’s suspension are silent about real sovereignty losses, such as the expansion of soy, sunflower, and rice plantations over peasant and indigenous communities, using glyphosate and causing destruction. “That is the homeland today: a land handed over, plundered, and sold to the highest bidder in agribusiness and financial speculation,” the article says.
The piece quotes early 20th-century writer Rafael Barrett, who argued that love of country cannot be taught through hymns but arises from living in a just collective environment. It concludes that Paraguay has “too many parades and too few marches,” calling for a patriotic movement inspired by Carlos Miguel Jiménez’s vision of a nation without “unfortunate children or insatiable masters.”