Paraguay's Comptroller confirms serious irregularities at Bahía Negra Municipality

An audit of the Bahía Negra Municipality in Paraguay has confirmed serious irregularities during the administration of Mayor João Roberto Ferreira. The Comptroller General of the Republic found that Ferreira's administration hired companies that did not meet tax or social security requirements, yet disbursed millions without adequate documentation.

According to the report, the municipality paid G. 68 million for cleaning and fumigation services, G. 145 million for machinery rental, G. 56 million for consulting, and G. 181 million for municipal works between 2024 and 2025. These payments were made to companies that lacked complete documentation for the services rendered.

Furthermore, the Comptroller's office noted that Mayor Ferreira, despite receiving property tax revenue, did not promptly transfer the required 15 percent to the Ministry of Economy and Finance or to the Alto Paraguay Governorate. A separate municipal account for these funds was also not established.

The audit also revealed a weakening of transparency controls, as several essential administrative management plans were not developed. The mayor repeatedly sought budget execution approval from the Municipal Council without submitting necessary documents, which a majority of council members approved blindly. However, a minority of councilors, supported by Deputy Rocío Vallejos, pursued transparency, leading to the audit.