Asunción officials charged in municipal asphalt misappropriation case

Prosecutors in Paraguay have formally charged several municipal officials and a private entity in an investigation known as the ‘Asphalt Mafia’. The case involves the alleged unauthorized use of the Municipality of Asunción’s resources, including asphalt, heavy machinery, and personnel, to perform paving work on private property belonging to the firm Condor S.A.C.I.

The investigation centers on an incident on July 11, 2026, where approximately 1,254 square meters of asphalt were laid at a private workshop and car wash. Evidence cited by prosecutors includes closed-circuit television footage showing municipal trucks and machinery—including a backhoe, a compactor, and an asphalt finisher—entering the private site.

Among those charged are Antonio Prieto Cané, who allegedly coordinated the work, and municipal employees Juan Ramón Galván Aponte, Francisco Javier Valenzuela Lugo, and Derlis Rubén Largo. Lilian Ramona Benítez Ortiz has been charged as an accomplice for managing the billing and collection of an advance payment. Investigators also identified a private company involved in the scheme, which they describe as a ‘shell company’ that lacks a physical presence or legitimate operations. The estimated financial loss to the municipal treasury is approximately G. 100,000,000.