Paraguay’s Ministry of Justice is presenting the exhibition Memories of the Buen Pastor: 106 Years of History (Memorias del Buen Pastor: 106 Años de Historia). This exposition is an artistic and documentary journey that reinterprets the history of the former Women’s Penitentiary Centre. The public is invited to visit this space, which re-opens to honour the memory of the women and the transformation of Paraguay’s penitentiary system.
The exhibition will be presented from 15 to 21 of December, 2025. The “Memorias del Buen Pastor” will be free with unrestricted admission. The exhibition will be open Monday to Sunday, at different hours. It is located on the corner of Mariscal López Avenue and Choferes del Chaco in Asunción.
- Wednesday 16 to Friday 19 December: 15:00 to 20:00;
- Saturday 20 and Sunday 21 December: 10:00 to 20:00.
The announcement was made by Justice Minister Rodrigo Nicora, alongside Deputy Minister of Political Crimes (PC), Rubén Maciel Guerreño, and Marcela Bacigalupo from the Asunción City Council. Also present were María Victoria Rivas of the Judicial Study Centre, and Alejandra Mendoza from the Free Heart Project (Proyecto Corazón Libre).
What the “Memorias del Buen Pastor” is about?
The exhibition temporarily re-opens the emblematic building to welcome the public with a historic photographic display. Shown are pictures of the “Buen Pastor” and its evolution, as well as an installation of original objects used by the women who were deprived of their liberty.
The exhibition aims to highlight the memory of the penitentiary and give visibility to the experiences of the women who inhabited its walls for more than a century. Through art and historical reconstruction, it invites the public to reflect on justice, human rights, and social transformation. Also featured are stories and testimonials in audiovisual format and guided tours through the building’s emblematic spaces.
Current history of the other penitentiary
While the Buen Pastor is now closed for penitentiary use, others around the city of Asunción are not. The government had announced last year that the Tacumbú Prison would be renovated. While the work is in progress, inmates are still incarcerated there. The Ministry of Justice also created programmes of social reinsertions, giving the possibility to eight inmates to be entrepreneurs.
