In a year filled with inspiring stories and uplifting voices, The Asunción Times is proudly publishing this Top 5 Most Appreciated Stories of 2025. These are the articles that readers cherished, shared with friends and family, and came back to time and again. By sharing several Top 5’s with our readers on the edge of 2026, we celebrate the very best of human connection, hope, and community in Paraguay in 2025.
1. Paraguay’s Day Of The Child: A Day Of Innocence, And Courage
On August 16, Paraguay celebrates the Day of the Child (Día del Niño), a day that beautifully celebrates pure childhood joy, and deep national pride. What began as a tribute to the heroic child soldiers of the 1869 Battle of Acosta Ñu, about boys as young as six who fought bravely for their country, has evolved into one of Paraguay’s most heartfelt holiday.
Also in 2025, streets filled with smiles, clowns, games, and gifts from companies, while communities and hospitals hosted special events for kids. It is a reminder to protect innocence, courage, and the promise that every child in Paraguay deserves a future full of hope and opportunity.
Read Paraguay’s Day Of The Child: A Day Of Innocence, And Courage.
2. Capybaras Take Paraguay By Storm: The Viral Obsession With Nature’s Chillest Rodent
In 2025 Paraguay has officially fallen head over heels for the capybara, the world’s largest – and undeniably chillest – rodent. Once just a familiar face grazing quietly by riversides, the “carpincho” has exploded into a national icon, flooding social media with memes, plush toys, stickers, and even capybara-shaped cakes.
From viral videos of them lounging with dogs and crocodiles, to packed “capybara tours” in Paraguay’s Chaco and Ñeembucú, people can not get enough of these gentle animals. In a stressful world, the capybara has become the ultimate symbol of laid-back living. Proof that sometimes the coolest thing you can do is just relax, and let the chaos flow around you.
Read Capybaras Take Paraguay By Storm: The Viral Obsession With Nature’s Chillest Rodent.
3. The Mysterious “Mr. October” In Paraguay, And Why You Should Welcome Him
In October 2025, once again the air hummed with whispers of Karai Octubre, a mischievous, barefoot spirit dressed in ragged clothes and a straw hat who roams the streets after dusk. His name combines the Guaraní word for lord or mister (karai) with the Spanish word for October (octubre), describing a folkloric figure who embodies hunger and scarcity.
Mr. October is believed to check if people stored food for the lean months. To avoid his curse of poverty, they serve specific food: Jopara, meaning “mixture” in Guaraní, combines ingredients such as cracked white corn, beans, pumpkin, onions, green bell peppers and Paraguayan cheese. Some versions add meat or chorizo, slow-cooked in iron pots over wood or charcoal.
Read The Mysterious “Mr. October” In Paraguay, And Why You Should Welcome Him.
4. From Kenya to Paraguay: Joram Mburu’s Mission to Inspire Through Engineering
On number 4 of this Top 5 Most Appreciated Stories we have Kenyan engineer Joram Mburu. He transformed his passion for learning into a global odyssey, leaving behind a life in Nairobi to inspire the next generation. He excelled in civil engineering at the University of Nairobi before pursuing advanced studies in Taiwan. There, he immersed himself in a new culture, teaching and connecting with international peers; including Paraguayans.
After that, Joram embraced a move to Paraguay, joining Universidad Politécnica Taiwán Paraguay (UPTP) as a lecturer. Struck by the warmth of Paraguayan people and the blend of cultures at the university, he now drives innovative projects in ICT, and biomedical tech. For Joram, the world is his classroom, urging students to chase engineering’s challenges with grit.
Read From Kenya to Paraguay: Joram Mburu’s Mission to Inspire Through Engineering.
5. Paraguay’s National Polka Day: A Celebration Of Rhythm And Poetry
On 15 September 2025, Paraguay once again danced to the soul-stirring beats of National Polka Day, a nod to the rhythmic fusion of guitar and harp that pulses with the nation’s spirit. Born from the legacies of two musical giants, Emiliano R. Fernández and Luis Alberto del Paraná, who both passed on this date, the celebration honours polka’s poetic depths.
From lively polka kyre’y spins in town squares to tender polca syryry strums at family firesides, the day weaves generations together, fueling cultural tourism, artistic dreams, and a global diaspora that carries Paraguay’s harp-hearted poetry.
Read Paraguay’s National Polka Day: A Celebration Of Rhythm And Poetry.
All the best for 2026!
We hope you loved this look back at The Asunción Times’ Top 5 Most Appreciated Stories of 2025. From the bottom of our hearts, and on behalf of the entire team, we thank you for reading, sharing, and being part of our journey. Feliz Año Nuevo, Happy New Year!
