Paraguay’s Chamber of Deputies is preparing a reform of its internal rules to enforce deductions for lawmakers who arrive late or are absent without justification. The proposal also provides for a review of the attendance-recording system and a clearer procedure for implementing the sanctions.
The regulations currently set deductions of G. 300,000 for tardiness and G. 600,000 for an unjustified absence. The Chamber itself acknowledges, however, that the rules are difficult to apply operationally and allow justifications considered excessively flexible, making it harder to impose the penalties.
Deputy Daniel Centurión said a technical team is working to update the amounts and create mechanisms to ensure they are collected. “It is an issue that is a constant concern because of the impact colleagues’ absences have on the Chamber’s image,” he said, adding that Chamber President Raúl Latorre ordered the proposal to be drafted.
The Chamber’s first vice president, Hugo Meza, said the text should include a review of the attendance-marking system and the gradual application of the deductions. “The regulations did not give the president much room to deduct salaries. A simple note was enough to provide a justification. That is what we are going to change,” he said.
The discussion comes after recurring episodes of insufficient quorum, which led to sessions being postponed or closed and interrupted consideration of the legislative agenda. For Meza, attendance and punctuality are basic obligations for anyone who holds a seat in Congress. He advocated building a “Chamber of work and responsibility” and acknowledged that lawmakers themselves must fulfill their duties.
The deputy from the Colorado Party (ANR), which is aligned with the governing bloc, also linked the debate to the 2027 General National Budget bill. Meza called for cuts to consulting services, catering, fuel and other current expenses considered unnecessary, with resources redirected to health, education, infrastructure and security.
In the health sector, he said the Executive Branch is preparing a proposal with more resources for supplies and medicines, as well as the formalization of employment for nearly 3,000 health professionals. The measure still depends on the government’s formal submission and the budget process.
The attendance-control changes and deductions remain under preparation, while the 2027 budget proposals are proceeding separately. The reform’s final scope and the budget measures remain undecided, so no new sanctions are currently in effect.