Finance Ministry releases salary and benefits payment schedule

Paraguay's Ministry of Economy and Finance (MEF) announced its payment schedule for salaries, pensions, and social benefits for the current month. The disbursement process begins Friday, July 24, and will extend through Friday, July 31, covering a wide range of public sector employees and beneficiaries.

The schedule kicks off with payments for veterans, pensioners, and participants in the Universal Pension Program for Older Adults on the first day. This program alone supported over 376,000 beneficiaries as of June 2026, with monthly allocations equivalent to 25% of the minimum wage.

Subsequent days are allocated for specific groups: retirees from the Fiscal Fund on Monday, July 27; administrative staff and Ministry of Public Health personnel on Tuesday, July 28; members of the Armed Forces, the Judiciary, and departmental governments on Wednesday, July 29; and public servants from the Ministry of Education and Science (MEC) and national universities on Thursday, July 30. The final day, July 31, will cover remaining pending personal services.

However, the MEF's fiscal fund is experiencing financial strain. Data from June 2026 reveals that contributions to the Fiscal Fund totaled G. 321.4 billion, while expenditures reached G. 529.1 billion. This resulted in a deficit of G. 207.7 billion (approximately US$34 million), indicating that contributions are insufficient to cover outgoing payments. The situation is reportedly worsened by structural issues following reforms, leading to an accumulated deficit of G. 1.31 trillion.