Paraguay Launches Comprehensive Personal Data Protection Law: Key Points for Companies and Regulated Sectors

By BKM | Berkemeyer

On November 27, 2025, Paraguay took a major step forward in digital governance with the enactment of Law No. 7593, “On the Protection of Personal Data in the Republic of Paraguay”, the country’s first comprehensive personal data protection law aligned with international standards and with direct effects on the operations of both local and foreign companies. 

The new regulation applies not only to data controllers and processors established in Paraguay but also to those located abroad when their processing activities affect Paraguayan residents or utilize means within national territory. The law also includes specific exclusions for purely domestic use and tailored provisions for sensitive contexts such as state security, defense, public safety, and criminal investigations, creating a balanced and operational compliance framework for critical sectors. 

One of the most significant commercial implications of the law is its expansion of legal bases for data processing. Paraguay moves away from a system almost entirely dependent on consent, adding other lawful grounds such as the fulfillment of legal obligations, contract performance, and the protection of legitimate interests, bringing the Paraguayan model closer to the structure found in the European Union’s GDPR. 

The law also enshrines core data governance principles that must underlie all personal data handling: lawfulness, fairness, accuracy, proportionality, security, and limitation of retention periods. In practice, this means organizations will need to review their databases, retention and deletion policies, data updating mechanisms, and security controls, while enhancing transparency and information duties toward data subjects. 

To support enforcement and oversight, the law creates a Data Protection Authority with powers to supervise compliance and impose sanctions. It also introduces the role of Data Protection Officer (DPO) as a catalyst for embedding a culture of continuous compliance within organizations. 

For companies that proactively develop a compliance plan — adjusting their legal bases, conducting data processing mapping, and strengthening governance — the new legal framework not only mitigates legal and operational risks but can also build greater trust with customers and business partners, turning compliance into a competitive advantage.