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Indigenous women block highway over delayed scholarships in Paraguay
🇵🇾 Paraguay /Culture & Society

Indigenous women block highway over delayed scholarships in Paraguay

From ABC Color · () Spanish

Translated from Spanish, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Ongoing story
  • Indigenous women from six Guaraní communities blocked the PY03 highway in Paraguay to protest delayed scholarship payments.
  • They accuse the Paraguayan Indigenous Institute (INDI) of being "liars" and "mocking" students who depend on the financial aid.
  • The INDI president cited issues with ineligible beneficiaries on the scholarship list as a reason for the delay.

Indigenous women representing six Guaraní communities in Paraguay have blocked a section of the PY03 highway in Canindeyú to protest a three-month delay in scholarship payments for students. The protesters accuse the Paraguayan Indigenous Institute (INDI) of being untrustworthy and disrespectful towards the students who rely on this financial support.

The women of the six Guaraní peoples of Paraguay: Mbya Guaraní, Ava Guaraní, Aché, Guaraní Ñandéva, Guaraní Occidental and Paĩ Tavyterã, we support the demands of the young indigenous students.

— Protesters statementIssued by indigenous women blocking the PY03 highway.

The blockade is taking place on the bridge connecting Curuguaty'i and Nueva Durango. The women, belonging to various Guaraní groups including Mbya Guaraní, Ava Guaraní, Aché, Guaraní Ñandéva, Guaraní Occidental, and Paĩ Tavyterã, are supporting the students' demands. Elva Gauto, one of the leaders, reported that despite INDI's promise of immediate disbursement in May, the G. 500,000 (approximately $70 USD) per student has not yet been transferred.

They committed to us to pay the INDI subsidy immediately, and until now we have no response.

— Elva GautoOne of the protest leaders, explaining the delay in scholarship payments.

Organized under the name Kuña Guaraní Aty, the women expressed deep concern over the situation, calling it a "lack of respect and a mockery" of students pursuing higher education in both public and private institutions. The government had committed to monthly payments starting in April, but three months have now passed without any disbursement, jeopardizing students' ability to continue their studies.

We consider it a lack of respect and a mockery towards the students who depend on this financial support to continue their studies, both in public and private institutions.

— Kuña Guaraní AtyThe organization of indigenous women protesting the scholarship delays.

INDI President Hugo Samaniego attributed the delay to a complaint from communities in Curuguaty. He stated that an investigation revealed 25 individuals on a list of 800 scholarship recipients were not from indigenous communities, as required by the program. Samaniego mentioned that they are also reviewing the scholarship program's reach, which currently benefits less than 50% of applicants.

They themselves, the communities, denounced us and upon verifying the process we confirmed that indeed the first payment was collected by people who should not have been beneficiaries, at least not in this program.

— Hugo SamaniegoPresident of the INDI, explaining the reasons for the scholarship payment delay.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by ABC Color in Spanish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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