In the last days of March 2025, massive and peaceful demonstrations took place in Paraguay, mainly in the capital, Asunción. Various sectors of society — workers from public and private entities, university students, retirees, people with disabilities, the elderly, and even the migrant population — exercised their constitutional right to protest. On Tuesday 25 March 2025, dozens of social organizations gathered in the historic center, calling for an end to corruption, an end to impunity in the justice system, and demanding improvements in fundamental areas such as work, education and health. On Wednesday 26 March 2025, under the slogan “United for Paraguay”, sectors of the opposition demonstrated against mafia-like structures in the state; and on Wednesday 27 March 2025, the farmers staged their traditional annual march (the 31st), with the slogan “For the land, production and against all injustices”. In the days leading up to the event, human rights organizations and the media reiterated the constitutional guarantees on the freedom to demonstrate.
Despite some allegations of attempts to intimidate leaders, the demonstrations took place as planned and, at the end of the farmers’ march, the National Police reported that the day had passed without incidents and with good inter-institutional cooperation. This event highlights the strengthening of the exercise of the right to protest, while at the same time demonstrating challenges for the State to respond effectively to growing citizen demands. This alert highlights positive progress in the exercise of fundamental rights, while at the same time pointing to the need to improve dialogue and the government’s response to citizen dissatisfaction.