MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Paraguayan market chain suspended for dubious reasons

The decision is believed to be politically motivated

Paraguayan authorities shut down branches of the mini-market chain Biggie Express on a temporary basis in a measure believed to be politically motivated. “We are here doing what President Santiago Peña asks us to do...,” said Sara Irún, head of the Secretariat for Consumer and User Protection (Sedeco). The National Health Surveillance Directorate (Dinavisa) was also involved.

Officials stated that, during regular inspections, they discovered a “systematic and serious failure” in the supply chain, including the sale of products such as mayonnaise, cheese, yogurt, cereals, and meat that had expired, been relabeled, or were in poor condition.

The suspension affects all 263 Biggie Express stores, although the irregularities were found in only a few locations. The authorities said this was a health measure. “It's not just one or two stores; we are seeing a systematic and serious failure,” Irún argued. The products found “put consumers' lives at risk,” she mentioned.

It has been suggested that the suspension stemmed from a “vendetta” ordered by President Santiago Peña against the parent company, ABC Group, which he had previously criticized. ABC press outlets had exposed Peña's ostentatious lifestyle while hospitals lacked professionals and medicines.

Both Sedeco and Dinavisa have launched administrative inquiries into the matter. The companies have been suspended until they make the necessary corrections and request a new inspection.

Biggie employees should not be affected by this suspension, as it is a health measure, Dinavisa's legal advisor also explained.