ASUNCION — The National Electricity Administration (ANDE) labor union, Sitrande, has announced it will intensify its protests in strong opposition to the proposed merger of the Ministry of Industry and Commerce (MIC) and the Vice Ministry of Mines and Energy. The union is concerned that the bill will undermine ANDE's autonomy and pave the way for its privatization.

In a statement, Sitrande criticized the plan to absorb the Vice Ministry of Mines and Energy into the Ministry of Industry and Commerce to create a new "Ministry of Commerce, Mines, and Energy." The union stated that this move is an attempt to reduce ANDE to a mere bureaucratic office and strip it of its core powers. Sitrande Secretary General Adolfo Villalba said, "If this bill passes, the future of our company will be in jeopardy," and urged all union members to unite and "protect ANDE as an autonomous entity with its own authority."

Villalba fiercely condemned those behind the merger, calling them a "group of criminals" who seek to "divide the profits and seize control of the energy sector." He alleged that Javier Giménez, the Minister of Industry and Commerce, owns a cryptocurrency mining business and that this conflict of interest may be the motive behind the merger. Villalba also accused the Minister of Economy, Carlos Fernández Valdovinos, of intentionally hindering ANDE's operations by delaying the processing of investment-related documents.

Sitrande has announced large-scale demonstrations from Tuesday the 25th, the day the bill is to be discussed, in front of key streets and institutions in Asuncion. The union appealed for public support and participation, stating, "This struggle is not just about workers' rights; it's about defending Paraguay's energy sovereignty." The situation marks the first major union protest against a key policy of President Santiago Peña's administration and is expected to significantly impact the political landscape.

The government and the ruling party maintain that the merger is an unavoidable measure to enhance the efficiency of energy policies and strengthen national competitiveness. However, ANDE's union and other civil society organizations counter that the government is using public sector reform as a pretext to privatize a core national asset—the energy sector. The intense conflict between the two sides has raised concerns about the future direction of Paraguay's energy policy and the momentum of the Peña administration.

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