Open Records Laws › Paraguay

Paraguay

Ley N° 5.282/2014 "De Libre Acceso Ciudadano a la Información Pública y Transparencia Gubernamental"

Ley N° 5.282/2014 "De Libre Acceso Ciudadano a la Información Pública y Transparencia Gubernamental" (Law on Free Citizen Access to Public Information and Governmental Transparency)

RTI Rating: 60 (source)

Response Timeline

Initial Response
15 days
Residency Required
None

15 business days (días hábiles) counted from the day after submission. Law specifies no extension provisions.

How to Submit a Request

Accepted Methods

  • {'notes': 'Via unified national portal at https://informacionpublica.paraguay.gov.py/', 'method': 'online_form'}
  • {'notes': "At agency's Office of Access to Public Information", 'method': 'in_person'}
  • {'notes': 'Electronic submission accepted', 'method': 'email'}
  • {'notes': 'Written postal submission accepted', 'method': 'written'}
  • {'notes': 'Verbal requests accepted (must be transcribed by official)', 'method': 'oral'}

Requests may be filed through the unified national portal or directly with individual agencies. All public bodies must establish an Office of Access to Public Information (Oficina de Acceso a la Información Pública) to receive and assist requesters. Officials must help clarify vague or incomplete requests. Access is completely free of charge.

Required Elements

  • Requestor identification
  • Requestor's residential address
  • Clear and precise description of the public information requested

Optional Elements

  • Preferred format or medium for receiving information (agency may use alternative format if unavailable)

Fees

Access to public information is free of charge under Article 4 of Law 5282/2014. However, certified copies or authenticated documents from public registries may be subject to fees established by law.

No fee waiver system needed as information access is constitutionally free

Exemptions

  • Information Reserved by Law
    Information that has been expressly classified or determined as reserved by another law. Access can only be denied when information is expressly excluded from public knowledge by a legal norm.
  • Intelligence and Counterintelligence
    Documents, records and files relating to intelligence and counterintelligence activities must be kept confidential for up to 20 years (Law 5241, Article 22).
  • Judicial Privacy
    Private documents, correspondence, writings, and communications protected under Article 36 of the Constitution.
  • Banking and Financial Secrecy
    Information protected under banking and financial secrecy laws, though access may be permitted for legitimate investigative purposes.

Paraguay's RTI law scored only 2/150 points in the "Exceptions and Refusals" category of the Global RTI Rating, indicating weak exemption framework. Reserved information must be expressly designated by law. Article 19 requires denials to be issued by the highest authority with written, reasoned decisions explaining factual and legal grounds. No clear public interest override or harm test provisions identified in the law.

Appeal Process

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1

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Paraguay has NO independent oversight body (no information commission or ombudsman). The only meaningful appeal route bypasses administrative review entirely and goes straight to courts, creating significant barriers due to litigation costs and complexity. Internal reconsideration is vaguely referenced but optional and unstructured.

Request Templates

Online FOI Request Portal

Sources & References