Asunción collects $21 million for cleaning in 2026, but city remains littered

Asunción, Paraguay's capital, is facing a severe sanitation crisis despite a substantial financial contribution from its residents towards urban cleaning efforts. In the first four months of 2026, citizens paid over $21 million USD in sanitation fees, yet the city remains plagued by illegal dumpsites and widespread litter.

The municipal government, led by Mayor Luis Bello, has been accused of maintaining a management model similar to its predecessor, prioritizing employee salaries over the provision of essential services. This focus on administrative costs, rather than waste management and street cleaning, has led to a critical situation where public health is threatened by accumulating waste.

Residents in various neighborhoods, from the city center to peripheral areas like Ciudad Nueva and Bernardino Caballero, are complaining about the lack of effective responses from municipal cleaning crews. The proliferation of clandestine landfills is occurring despite the significant tax compliance by Asunción's citizens, highlighting a stark disconnect between public contribution and municipal performance. The situation points to a systemic issue in urban management, where collected funds do not translate into a cleaner, healthier city.