Paraguay: "No money for medicine, but for empanadas," says opposition lawmaker

A Paraguayan opposition lawmaker has sharply criticized the government's handling of a two-day doctors' strike, accusing officials of prioritizing lavish spending over essential public services. Rubén Rubín, an independent legislator, lambasted the administration of President Santiago Peña for claiming a lack of funds to meet the doctors' salary demands.

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They say there's no money, but they spend millions on catering. There is money for empanadas.

"They say there's no money, but they spend millions on catering. There is money for empanadas," Rubín stated, highlighting what he sees as misplaced priorities. He detailed significant state expenditures, including $100 million for private health insurance for administrative roles and $470 million in bonuses for advisors, while hospitals reportedly lack basic supplies.

Rubín further pointed to $20 million spent on catering and $65 million on travel and per diems, questioning the necessity of such expenses when medical professionals are struggling for better compensation. He asserted that these funds could easily cover the requested salary adjustments for doctors.

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If we cannot fulfill our commitments to our doctors, our teachers, our public forces, what is the point of us forming a government?

The lawmaker also criticized the government's focus on inaugurating new hospitals, suggesting these are mere public relations exercises. He claimed the administration uses public works projects for personal gain through inflated contracts, while the actual investment in healthcare remains insufficient. Rubín called for a reduction in state bureaucracy, arguing that many ministries serve only to maintain traditional party structures and political patronage.

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We have ministries that serve no purpose. Nothing more than to sustain the structure of traditional parties. There is plenty of money. It is an insult to say there is no money, and even more so to say there is no money for doctors.