The Paraguayan Congress approved the merger of the Secretariat of Development for Repatriated Nationals and Compatriot Refugees with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs through the mechanism of constructive approval, after the Senate failed to rule on the amendments introduced by the Chamber of Deputies within the constitutional deadline, which expired on May 31.
The new legislation abolishes the Secretariat of Repatriated Nationals as an autonomous institution after more than three decades of operation, since its creation under Law No. 227 of 1993. In its place, the Specialized Program for Repatriated Nationals and Compatriot Refugees (PEPRRC) will be established within the Foreign Ministry, a unit with administrative and financial autonomy to carry out its functions.
The initiative is part of the institutional reorganization process promoted by the Executive branch, with the stated aim of reducing administrative structures and centralizing state functions. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs will now concentrate all public policies related to Paraguayans living abroad, the return of nationals to the country, and assistance to Paraguayan refugees.
Among the new responsibilities of the Foreign Ministry are the design and oversight of repatriation policies, coordination of assistance for returning Paraguayans, negotiation of international agreements related to migration and return, maintenance of records of Paraguayans residing abroad, coordination of resettlement programs, management of assistance to nationals in vulnerable situations, and issuance of repatriation certificates for access to legal benefits.
The law establishes that all permanent employees of the current Secretariat of Repatriated Nationals will automatically be transferred to the staff of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, with a guarantee that their rights will be preserved. However, these workers will not be part of the diplomatic and consular career service, continuing to be governed by the legislation applicable to public employees of the central administration. Contract workers will maintain the validity of their respective contracts under the same conditions until expiration.
With the entry into force of the new legislation, the position of executive secretary of the Secretariat of Repatriated Nationals is abolished, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is authorized to carry out administrative reorganization and staff reassignment processes within the framework of the planned institutional reengineering.
The law maintains incentives designed to encourage the return of nationals who have resided abroad for at least two consecutive years. Those who meet this requirement may enter the country, on a one-time basis and free of taxes, with household goods of up to 850 minimum daily wage units, tools and work machinery of up to 3,000 minimum daily wage units, and a utility vehicle of up to 1,700 minimum daily wage units, provided it has at least three years of use. These goods may not be sold, transferred, or assigned for a period of three years, under penalty of payment of the corresponding taxes and possible sanctions for tax fraud.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, through embassies and consulates, may promote voluntary return programs, maintain records of nationals abroad, coordinate assistance for the labor and social reintegration of those returning to the country, and coordinate actions with international organizations. The Foreign Ministry will also have specific responsibilities to assist Paraguayan victims of human trafficking, violence, or risk situations in other countries.
The law provides for the full transfer of the assets of the Secretariat of Repatriated Nationals to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, including movable property, real estate, financial resources, institutional documentation, and programs in progress. The new PEPRRC will have its own Administration and Finance subunit to manage its budget, although the resources will continue to be part of the National General Budget.
The law will take effect the day after its publication in the Official Gazette, marking the formal end of the Secretariat of Repatriated Nationals as an autonomous institution.