Paraguay’s lower house gives initial approval to tougher measures for child-support debtors, then delays details

Paraguay’s Chamber of Deputies approved in principle two measures aimed at parents who fail to meet child-support obligations, but postponed detailed consideration for eight days.

The more debated proposal, known as the Memby Law, would clarify how child-support payments are collected. It would establish a unified payment amount that automatically changes with the minimum wage, removing the need to seek a new court ruling each year solely to update the amount.

The bill would also give courts power to order enforcement measures without requiring a new proceeding. These measures could include immediately withholding up to 50% of a debtor’s regular income, including salaries, pensions, bank accounts and other variable sources. The proposal also includes automatic deductions for support payments and direct registration in the National Registry of Delinquent Child-Support Debtors, known as Redam.

Deputy Federico “Fredy” Franco, one of the bill’s sponsors, said the judicial system has 48,000 complaints involving failures to pay child support, but has effectively processed only 2%, or about 960 cases. He said the measure should focus on protecting children and improving their quality of life rather than on the circumstances of the parent.

Cartista lawmaker Alejandro Aguilera requested the eight-day delay, saying the Chamber had received only that day an opinion sought from the Public Prosecutor’s Office and the Ministry of Children and Adolescents. Opposition lawmakers criticized the move as another attempt to prolong the issue.

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Of all the complaints we currently have in the Judiciary for failure to meet child-support obligations, there are 48,000 cases, of which barely 2% have actually been processed, about 960 cases.