Pedro Juan Caballero mayor resigns, slams 'minimal' government support

Ronald Acevedo, the mayor of Pedro Juan Caballero, Paraguay, resigned his post on Thursday to pursue re-election, using the occasion to publicly criticize the central government's "minimal support" for the city. Acevedo, a member of the PLRA party, argued that the national administration, led by President Santiago Peña, provides insufficient funding through royalties and the National School Feeding Fund (Fonae).

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The Government's support is minimal, whether through royalties or the National School Feeding Fund (Fonae). We are subsidizing works in schools that should be covered by the Central Government.

Acevedo detailed how the municipality has had to use its own resources to subsidize projects that should fall under the central government's purview. He cited the construction of a hemodialysis pavilion, an expansion of the emergency room, and an operating theater, all funded by G. 1 billion (approximately $135,000 USD) of municipal funds. "For the size of Pedro Juan, there should be more support from the Central Government," Acevedo stated, emphasizing the city's needs.

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For the size of Pedro Juan, there should be more support from the Central Government.

Ever Salinas, president of the Municipal Council and also from the PLRA party, supported Acevedo's concerns, particularly regarding employment and education. Despite President Peña's claim of creating over 242,000 jobs nationwide, Salinas pointed out a lack of sufficient job opportunities in Pedro Juan Caballero. He also stressed the difficulty for young people in the region to pursue higher education due to the high cost of private universities, advocating for more public university programs to foster skilled labor and attract investment.

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We need more university programs in public universities, so they are accessible to everyone. This way, we would achieve more opportunities for young people and the qualified workforce that those who come to invest in the area require.