- Home
- Living in Paraguay
- Safety in Paraguay
Safety in Paraguay: official figures and areas to avoid
Short answer
Paraguay recorded 7.5 homicides per 100,000 people in 2024, down from 10.4 in 2015 (INE). Day to day in Asunción, the main risk is theft: bag snatching, pickpockets on buses, thieves on motorbikes. Foreign governments mainly warn about the border with Brazil and the EPP zone between Concepción and San Pedro.
Homicides by department
| Area | 2024 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|
| Whole country | 7.5 | 10.4 |
| Asunción | 8.1 | 6.1 |
| Central | 3.2 | 3.8 |
| Alto Paraná | 7.8 | 12.7 |
| Itapúa | 7.3 | 6.6 |
| Cordillera | 4.0 | 2.7 |
| Concepción | 13.1 | 23.7 |
| Canindeyú | 22.4 | 25.8 |
| Amambay | 41.2 | 76.4 |
Rates per 100,000 people, calculated by the Policía Nacional and the Observatorio de Seguridad y Convivencia Ciudadana and published by INE, the national statistics office. The rate fell nationwide and along the Brazilian border, and rose in Asunción, Itapúa and Cordillera.
INE publishes these rates by department, with no breakdown by neighborhood.
Asunción: the areas named
Spain rates insecurity in Asunción as lower than in other capitals of the region, with a recent rise in common crime such as theft by motochorros, thieves on motorbikes (May 7, 2026). Official advisories name the same places:
- Mercado 4 and La Chacarita, near the cathedral and Congress: France advises avoiding them, especially at night, and Spain advises against La Chacarita even during the day.
- The historic center at night, Bañados Norte and Sur, and the area around the Cateura landfill (Spain).
- The suburbs: San Lorenzo, Luque, Limpio, Fernando de la Mora, Ñemby, Mariano Roque Alonso and Villa Elisa (France, Canada).
- City buses (colectivos), where pickpockets and bag snatchers operate (UK, Spain).
What foreign governments say
| Country | Areas advised against or level | Updated |
|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom | Take particular care in the departments bordering Brazil: Amambay, Concepción, Alto Paraná, San Pedro, Canindeyú; the EPP operates in northern San Pedro and southern Concepción | Jan 21, 2026 |
| France | Advised against unless essential: the San Pedro and Concepción boundary, Pedro Juan Caballero and unpopulated areas of Canindeyú; heightened vigilance elsewhere | Sep 15, 2026 |
| Germany | Non-essential travel advised against: the Brazilian border in Amambay, Canindeyú and Alto Paraná, northern San Pedro and southern Concepción | Jul 7, 2026 |
| Canada | Whole country: “exercise a high degree of caution” due to rising crime, no area advised against | Sep 24, 2026 |
| Spain | Security “acceptable” overall; high risk on the Concepción and San Pedro boundary (EPP), medium risk in Asunción, Ciudad del Este and Pedro Juan Caballero | May 7, 2026 |
| United States | Level 1 nationwide; Level 2 in Alto Paraná, Amambay, Canindeyú, Concepción and San Pedro due to crime | Aug 19, 2026 |
| Australia | Exercise a high degree of caution nationwide due to violent crime | May 18, 2026 |
Canada’s September 24 update was an editorial change to its health section; its security advice stayed the same.
Recommended habits
- Use ATMs inside buildings: thieves watch and follow people who withdraw cash (UK, Canada).
- Call a licensed taxi by phone or through your hotel instead of hailing one in the street (UK). Ride-hailing apps work (Canada).
- If you are robbed, do not resist: attackers may be armed (France, Canada).
- Carry a copy of your passport photo page and entry stamp: carrying ID is mandatory (UK).
- Avoid driving at night, especially on the roads to Ciudad del Este and Encarnación and on the Trans-Chaco (France, Canada).
- Leave nothing in view in the car, and keep windows closed and doors locked (Canada).
Dengue and river floods
Dengue circulates all year. The 2023-2024 epidemic lasted 44 weeks: more than 101,600 cases and 132 deaths (Ministry of Health, Jul 26, 2024). Prevention starts with removing standing water where the Aedes aegypti mosquito breeds (Ministry of Health, Jan 23, 2026).
Neighborhoods along the Paraguay River are exposed to floods. On Apr 30, 2026, the river stood at 2.85 m in Asunción, on yellow alert, and the city was monitoring Yukyty, San Cayetano, La Chacarita, Puerto Botánico and Zeballos Cué.
Emergency numbers
| Service | Number | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Police | 911 | mspbs.gov.py |
| Ambulance (SEME) | 141, free from any phone | mspbs.gov.py |
| Volunteer firefighters | 132, free | bomberoscbvp.org.py |
| Tourist police, Asunción | (595 21) 446 608 or 449 020 | gov.uk |