Paraguay Congress rejects bill to cut official bonuses amid public health funding debate

Paraguay's Congress has rejected a bill aimed at eliminating a substantial monthly bonus for high-ranking officials, a move critics are calling a "mockery" of minimum wage earners. The Chamber of Deputies voted down the proposal, which sought to suspend the "responsibility in office" bonus for political leaders during the remainder of 2026.

This bonus allows authorities to self-assign millions of guaraníes monthly. The most controversial case involves Basilio "Bachi" Núñez, who reportedly granted himself an additional G. 21 million per month. This, combined with base salaries and representation allowances, pushes the monthly earnings of ministers to approximately G. 33 million.

The rejected bill, which had passed the Senate, aimed to redirect these funds towards public health services. However, the majority bloc in the Chamber of Deputies, citing reasons such as "impropriety" and accusing the Senate of "populism," dismissed the initiative. They argued that prohibiting the bonus, even for the remaining part of the year, was unwarranted.

Critics contend that these excessive bonuses should be used to cover essential public services, such as healthcare, rather than enriching already well-compensated officials. The bill now returns to the Senate, where its fate remains uncertain. Meanwhile, executive ministers continue to receive their monthly bonuses of G. 6.5 million, on top of their G. 22 million basic salary and G. 4 million in representation expenses.