Ultima Hora

Two pickup trucks collided on Monday afternoon at the intersection of Del Maestro and O'Higgins streets in the Villa Morra neighborhood of Asunción. The impact threw a white Kia against an electrical pole, which prevented it from overturning. Both drivers suffered minor injuries and were treated at the scene. Residents and workers in the area denounce the lack of stop signs at the intersection, cited as a recurring cause of accidents.

Escola Básica N° 278 Dr. Raúl Peña, in the Cabañas district, completed a century since its founding with a civic ceremony, tributes, and a student parade that brought together generations of alumni and the community.

The National Police of Paraguay and the Public Prosecutor's Office are conducting operations in Encarnación and Cambyretá to capture Gustavo Rubén Goncalvez Vera, the main suspect in the double homicide of Francisco Alcides Saucedo Quiñónez and Brian Ariel Lugo. During the raids, weapons, ammunition, drugs, and vehicles were seized, including a car reported stolen in Argentina. Investigations point to a possible connection with drug trafficking.

Human Rights Watch calls on Salvadoran authorities to guarantee a swift, open, and fair trial for Ruth López, a lawyer and human rights defender detained since May 2025 on charges of illicit enrichment. The organization warns of a pattern of indefinite pretrial detention against government critics.

Opposition lawmakers in Paraguay criticize Comptroller General Camilo Benítez, claiming he uses an alleged gap in Law 5189/14 to avoid sanctioning agencies that do not disclose employee salaries, such as binational entities. They point to selectivity in audits and complicity with the Cartes/Peña government.

Paraguay's Public Ministry has charged suspended peace judge Carmen Analía Cibils and former judge Nathalia Garcete in two new cases related to the scheme known as the 'promissory note mafia'. The accusations include malfeasance, document forgery, and false notifications, expanding the scope of the investigation that was already in the oral trial phase.

A 20-year-old player, who had been posing as a 14-year-old to participate in a youth tournament, punched a referee in the face after a match in Caaguazú. The attacker was arrested and the referee suffered a facial fracture.

Rocío Ojeda, former director of the Animal Protection Commission of the National Congress, denounces that she was dismissed without formal justification and without access to the administrative process, despite having job stability and suffering from multiple sclerosis. She says she continues to work her hours while awaiting the end of her notice period on May 30, and that the President of Congress, Basilio Bachi Núñez, said he was unaware of the case.

A 31-year-old woman was the victim of a violent aggravated robbery in the rural area of Concepción, where two armed men intercepted her, took her hostage, and stole more than Gs. 107 million in cash, checks, and belongings. The National Police is investigating the case.

Internal movements of the Authentic Radical Liberal Party (PLRA) have warned of irregularities in the use of voting machines in the internal elections scheduled for June 7, including problems in contracting, lack of technical audit, and absence of oversight in the preparation of equipment. Senator Éver Villalba announced that the party will implement a parallel control system, with the participation of voters themselves and its own TREP.

A 16-year-old teenager died after violently colliding his motorcycle against a guardrail on Route PY02, in J. Eulogio Estigarribia, Caaguazú Department. Police are investigating the possibility that the young man was participating in illegal street races.

Paraguay's Consumer Confidence Index (ICC) fell to 40.17 points in April 2026, a drop of 11.15 points from March, returning to pessimistic territory. The Economic Situation Index (ISE) plunged to 29.33 points, while the Economic Expectations Index (IEE) stood at 51 points, still in optimistic territory. Only 15.5% of respondents said they had conditions to save, and the intention to purchase durable goods fell, except for housing. The Central Bank of Paraguay (BCP) released the data.

Paraguay's Ministry of Education and Sciences presented Planatea, a plan that guarantees access, retention, and learning for students with Autism Spectrum Disorder, with mandatory implementation in public and private schools.

Of the nearly 9,800 people serving house arrest in Paraguay, only 123 use electronic ankle monitors, according to official data. The government admits that most lack effective monitoring and plans to expand the system.

The San Lorenzo City Hall states that the internal bus fare remains at G. 2,800, per municipal ordinance, but users report that transport companies are already charging G. 3,500. The City Council did not authorize the adjustment, and a request for a tripartite meeting made by transporters in April was not processed in time.

A lawyer was detained this Monday (18) in Santa Rita, Alto Paraná, during Operation Omega, an international action against child sexual exploitation. He is suspected of storing, distributing, and selling child sexual abuse material, receiving payments in cryptocurrencies. The investigation, which began in 2019, analyzed over 35,000 files and may lead to further arrests abroad.

State Attorney General Emiliano Rolón removed Deputy Attorney María Soledad Machuca from the Specialized Unit for Economic Crimes and Anti-Corruption and the Money Laundering Unit, following questions about alleged shelving of emblematic cases. Nancy Salomón takes over the position.

The current president of the Social Security Institute (IPS), Isaías Fretes, and the Auditor General of the Executive Branch, Alberto Cabrera, said that the previous administration, headed by Jorge Brítez, implemented only 2 of 100 audit recommendations, classifying internal control as 'failed'.

Despite the reduction of monetary poverty to around 16% in 2025, the organization PRODesarrollo warns that the improvement in indicators coexists with a fragile economic base, marked by informality, low productivity, and household indebtedness.

The Paraguayan Senate on Wednesday (19) addresses 19 items, including the promotion request of National Police Commander César Roberto Silguero Lobos and the designation of concurrent ambassadors to various countries. Senator Celeste Amarilla harshly criticized a bill establishing the 'National Vori Vori Day,' calling it 'stupid' amid the social crisis.

Two criminals on a motorcycle approached a young man on a dirt road in the Mbachio neighborhood of Lambaré, shot him in the foot, and stole his motorcycle and other belongings. The victim underwent surgery and is recovering.

The president of IPS, Isaías Fretes, announced a complete audit of the social security institution's properties, aiming to identify the actual number of real estate assets, who rents them and for how much, with the goal of increasing transparency and combating possible irregularities.

Jorge Aranda, a driver for the Bolt platform, accepted a duck as payment after a passenger from Ypané had no money for the ride. The animal, a female, was given as a Mother's Day gift to the driver's mother.

The Bolivian government stated this Monday (18) that it identified alleged armed groups among the demonstrators marching toward La Paz to demand the resignation of President Rodrigo Paz. Presidential spokesperson José Luis Gálvez pointed to a former Ministry of Defense employee as the leader of a radical faction that displayed weapons in a video on social media.