Paraguay
The Paraguayan Senate launches an inquiry into IPS and Health, focusing on debts and payments
The committee will present its work plan this Monday and will begin with the Social Security Institute. Its president, Dionisio Amarilla, said they will review liabilities, payment criteria and possible irregularities.
A committee of Paraguay’s Chamber of Senators will formally begin this Monday an investigation into alleged acts of corruption at the Social Security Institute and the Ministry of Public Health. According to ABC Color, the schedule of activities and the data collection mechanisms will be announced that day.
Liberal Senator Dionisio Amarilla, chosen to chair the body, said the first stage will focus on the IPS. According to ABC Color, the idea is for the committee to meet every 15 days and first summon the head of the social security agency, Derlis León, then the Minister of Health, Isaías Fretes, and later authorities from the Office of the Comptroller General of the Republic and the National Directorate of Public Procurement.
In addition to Amarilla, the body is made up of Lizarella Valiente, Lilian Samaniego, Natalicio Chase, Antonio Barrios and Esperanza Martínez.
One of the central points will be the management of the liabilities of both institutions. Regarding the IPS, Amarilla said, according to ABC Color, that it draws his attention that the entity has accumulated a debt of 1.2 billion dollars, although he also stressed that it has accounts receivable from the Paraguayan state and the private sector, which is why he considered that the problem lies in management.
In relation to the Ministry of Health and the shortage of medicines, the senator questioned the criteria used to determine which suppliers are paid and which are not. According to his statements reported by ABC Color, the committee will seek to make transparent how those decisions were made both at the IPS and in the health ministry.
Amarilla also indicated that in this phase the presumption of innocence will be respected, although he warned that they will move forward if serious irregularities emerge.
During the interview cited by ABC Color, the lawmaker also referred to the request for information that the Senate sent to the Central Bank of Paraguay regarding Ueno Bank operations. He said it would be a mistake for the central bank not to provide all the information and stated that he will review the documentation when it is sent to Congress.
Sources
About this note. Written by El Notero with the assistance of artificial intelligence, based on what was published by the cited outlet. El Notero did not conduct its own reporting on this event.
