Paraguayans Protest COVID-19 Government Failures

Protestors have repeatedly called for President Mario Abdo Benítez’s resignation amid rising COVID-19 cases in the country (Wikipedia Commons).

Protestors took to the streets in Paraguay on March 5, in response to the rising death toll of the COVID-19 pandemic. The protests in the capital, Asunción, involved thousands of people and continued for over a week. Protestors called for the resignation of Paraguayan President Mario Abdo Benítez and demanded accountability for government failures in handling the COVID-19 pandemic. As of the beginning of these protests, approximately 170,000 Paraguayans have been infected with the coronavirus, and nearly 3,400 have died.

A year into the pandemic, Paraguayan infection rates are still rising, with approximately 1,800 new cases each day. The Paraguayan healthcare system is undersupplied and overwhelmed: protestors are speaking out about the lack of beds and basic medical supplies in local hospitals and the failure of the government to prepare the healthcare system for the volume of cases Paraguay is now facing. The government has also failed to obtain a steady or adequate supply of vaccinations, frustrating healthcare workers and citizens alike. 

In addition to frustration with government failures, protestors are infuriated with the apparent pattern of elitism involved in the COVID-19 medical response. Whereas most ill Paraguayans must seek care from underfunded local hospitals, wealthier citizens are able to utilize private healthcare facilities in the United States. There is fear and anger that this elitism will be further reflected in Benítez's administration, especially in the distribution of vaccines and medical supplies. 

Although Benítez has not resigned, he has responded to protesters’ demands by addressing the structure and leadership of his administration. He has ousted his ministers of Education and Women’s Affairs and has replaced his Chief of Staff and Health Minister. He has also instructed his cabinet to draft letters of resignation in an attempt to avoid future conflict. However, protestors are thus far not appeased by these changes, and they continue to call for Benítez’s resignation and new elections.