Paraguayan exporters criticize central bank amid currency volatility and labor strikes
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On August 25, 2026, the Cámara Paraguaya de Exportadores (Capex) publicly criticized the Banco Central del Paraguay (BCP) for its handling of a 20% decline in the dollar against the guaraní over the preceding twelve months. Capex alleged that the BCP, which sold record volumes of dollars to curb depreciation between 2024 and 2025, stopped buying dollars in October 2025, creating an asymmetrical policy that eliminated export margins. Simultaneously, striking doctors in Asunción demanded a 76% pay rise, which the government estimated would cost US$100 million. Amid this economic tension, the government announced that 12 meat plants were cleared to export beef to Chile.
Consequences
The continued appreciation of the guaraní risks plant closures and permanent job losses among small and medium-sized exporters who are currently operating at a loss to maintain market share. If the BCP maintains its current intervention policy, the agricultural and service export sectors may face further contraction while the government struggles to balance labor demands against its $100 million budget constraint.
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