Paraguayan municipalities had accumulated G. 52,945,172,300 in obligations to Caja Municipal, the pension fund for municipal employees. The figures released by the institution were current as of September 24 and broke down the amounts into unpaid contributions, defaulted payment agreements and debts under litigation.
Asunción accounted for G. 36,088,962,697, classified as debt under litigation. Caja Municipal said the capital was up to date with regular transfers of employer and employee contributions. Of the amount under litigation, G. 10,199,055,948 was principal, G. 22,626,364,205 was charges and G. 3,270,542,544 was professional fees.
The administration of Mayor Luis Bello said it was up to date with Caja Municipal and stated that it had transferred more than G. 58 billion since taking office. It also said it had paid G. 16.5 billion in pension obligations from previous administrations. Those figures, presented by the municipality, concern transfers and payments; the amount under litigation remains recorded in Caja Municipal’s accounting.
After the capital, Concepción owed G. 475,294,496: G. 24,211,000 in contributions and G. 451,083,496 under agreements. Caacupé owed G. 181,191,613—G. 140,488,400 in contributions and G. 40,703,213 under agreements. Horqueta owed G. 151,181,483, of which G. 18,160,000 was in contributions and G. 133,021,483 under agreements.
Choré had G. 36,735,179 outstanding, split between G. 26,243,912 in contributions and G. 10,491,267 under agreements. General Elizardo Aquino owed G. 29,816,200—G. 5,846,000 in contributions and G. 23,970,200 under agreements. Arroyos y Esteros had G. 19,620,840 in contributions; Nueva Germania, G. 15,675,805 under agreements; and Yby Yaú, G. 12,205,567, comprising G. 4,480,000 in contributions and G. 7,725,567 under agreements.
The list also included Capiibary, with G. 9,120,000 in contributions; Azotey, with G. 9,040,000; and Liberación, with G. 7,511,031 under agreements. Among the smaller amounts, San Vicente Pancholo owed G. 2,880,000; Arroyito, G. 2,720,000; Yrybucuá and San José del Rosario, G. 2,240,000 each; San Pedro del Ycuamandyyú, G. 1,800,000; Sargento José Félix López, G. 1,400,000; General Resquín, G. 1,200,000; San Carlos del Apa, G. 1,150,000; Belén, G. 960,000; and Guajaybí, G. 600,000. In these cases, the amounts were overdue contributions.
Caja Municipal said it would continue seeking to recover the funds through administrative and legal channels, linking collection efforts to its ability to meet obligations to municipal retirees and pensioners. The figures were released a week before the municipal elections scheduled for October 4. The account also notes concern among municipal retirees and pensioners about a new problem involving employer and employee contributions from the Asunción Municipality.