Chaco Armistice Day in Paraguay
Known in Paraguay as Día de la Paz del Chaco, this national holiday falls on June 12 and commemorates the 1935 peace protocol between Paraguay and Bolivia. The day recalls the end of the Chaco War and the soldiers who fought in it.[1][2]
A national holiday with a movable date
Paraguay’s Law No. 7544 names June 12 as Día de la Paz del Chaco, a national holiday. The law also classifies it as movable: the Executive may transfer it by decree to the Monday before or after the date. Check official announcements for any decree that changes a particular year’s observance.[1]
For workers, national holidays are generally compulsory rest days under the Labour Code. The Ministry of Labour says employers may require work where the nature of the activity makes it necessary, subject to conditions including advance notice and an additional 100% payment for hours worked. Check opening hours with banks, shops and schools, and service schedules with transport providers.[3]
The peace protocol and the Chaco War
The holiday marks the signing in Buenos Aires, Argentina, on June 12, 1935, of a peace protocol between Paraguay and Bolivia. The agreement called for the definitive end of hostilities in the Chaco War, which began in 1932 amid territorial disputes between the two countries. The ceasefire took effect on June 14; a later treaty in 1938 settled the boundary question.[2][4]
In Paraguay, the date recalls both the end of the fighting and the human cost of the conflict. The national cultural authority’s historical account describes the war as devastating to both countries and notes the deaths, injuries and lasting hardship experienced by combatants. The holiday’s Paraguayan significance is tied to remembrance of the war and its veterans as well as to peace between the two neighboring countries.[2]
Commemorations and practical planning
Official commemorations can include tributes to veterans. In one documented government ceremony, officials gathered at the Memorial Defensores del Chaco in San Lorenzo, where the vice president laid a wreath and soldiers sang military hymns.[4]
Confirm opening hours and service schedules directly with the relevant office, bank or transport provider, and check whether the Executive has moved the date by decree.[1][3]
Frequently asked questions
When is Chaco Armistice Day?
Is it a day off for workers?
National holidays are generally compulsory rest days for workers. Some employers may require work when necessary for the activity, subject to notice and additional pay rules.[3]
How is the day commemorated?
A government ceremony at the Memorial Defensores del Chaco in San Lorenzo has included a wreath tribute and military hymns.[4]
Sources and references
Sources used for Chaco Armistice in Paraguay:
- Ley Nº 7544/2025 / QUE DETERMINA LOS FERIADOS NACIONALES DE LA REPÚBLICA DEL PARAGUAY, SE ESTABLECEN LOS FERIADOS MÓVILES Y SE FACULTA AL PODER EJECUTIVO A INSTITUIR OTROS FERIADOS EN SITUACIONES ESPECIALES.- Biblioteca y Archivo Central del Congreso de la Nación
- 12 de Junio: Paz del Chaco- Secretaría Nacional de Cultura
- Ministerio de Trabajo estableció directrices ante la vigencia de ley de feriados extraordinarios- Ministerio de Trabajo, Empleo y Seguridad Social
- Con ofrenda floral en memorial de excombatientes, Gobierno conmemora 91 aniversario de la Paz del Chaco- Agencia IP / Medios del Estado