Paraguay is preparing to celebrate a new cultural milestone with the inauguration of a Pedro Canoero statue. The monument honours the real man who inspired one of the most emblematic songs in Paraguayan folklore. The song symbolises the deep bond between Lake Ypacaraí, music and Paraguayan identity. The statue stands at the artisan roundabout in San Bernardino, about 47 kilometres from Asunción.
Minister of Tourism Angie Duarte says the creative initiative honours the country’s collective memory. The statue offers a tangible reminder of Paraguayan history, which music has carried across generations.
The story of Pedro Canoero
In 1983, Argentine singer-songwriter Teresa Parodi performed at the Lake Ypacaraí Festival only an hour away from Asunción. After her performance, she took a walk along the lakeshore. That simple moment inspired one of Paraguay’s most iconic songs: Pedro Canoero.
“I chose one man with my eyes. He had a particular attitude, and his canoe seemed to be his whole world. He felt proud and invited me into his canoe with a bow. Inside, I saw a small blanket, a radio and some mate. I thought: this canoe is his home. The image of that man, so passionate about his work and the lake, stayed with me. On the flight back to Buenos Aires, I began to write the song,” the artist recalls.
Teresa Parodi wrote Pedro Canoero and shared her emotion on seeing images of the statue. “He looks exactly as I remember him – the posture, the hat, the attitude, the rhythm and every small detail in his canoe,” she says. Her statement highlights how faithfully the sculpture reflects the character who inspired her song.
Emotion, memory and art as travel destinations
The Cordillera Governorate, cultural manager José Quevedo Allende and sculptor Hugo Escobar brought the project to life. Organisers plan the statue inauguration ceremony for late February or early March. The event will serve as part of a festival celebrating art, music and national history.
San Bernardino and Lake Ypacaraí invite tourists and locals to connect with Paraguay’s cultural roots through poetry and music as expressions of identity. Cultural heritage continues to strengthen its role as a cornerstone of the country’s tourism and cultural development. Stories like Pedro Canoero – intimate, emotional and deeply human–remind us that emotion, memory and art also become destinations worth visiting.
