Original article: Confirman que cerca de tres mil deportistas se quedan sin Juegos Nacionales y Paranacionales por recortes del Gobierno
Minister Duco Confirms Cancellation of National and Paranational Games: A Severe Blow to National Sports
The rumors circulating in the national sports community have turned into harsh reality. As reported by news sources on Friday, a decree from the Treasury Department confirmed that nearly 3,000 athletes will be unable to compete in the 2026 National and Paranational Games.
This decision, driven by a budget cut of 5.7 billion pesos to the Mindep budget, has completely eliminated the 3.586 billion pesos allocated for the event.
On Saturday, May 16, Sports Minister Natalia Duco confirmed the cancellation. In statements reported by El Mostrador, the former thrower justified the decision as part of complying with the instructions from Treasury Minister Jorge Quiroz to reduce the budget for all departments by 3 percent. «This cut was not initiated by us and it is a regrettable situation,» Duco stated.
The canceled event was set to feature 22 disciplines, including 16 conventional and 6 Paralympic sports. Sources from Mindep had indicated to The Clinic that other expenses, such as the Odesur Games in Santa Fe 2026, were prioritized, but this sacrifice leaves thousands of athletes without their main competitive platform this year, especially in the absence of the Olympics or Pan American Games.
Minister Duco defended the decision, asserting that high-performance sports remain protected. «The Odesur Games, the PRODDAR scholarship salaries, and funding to federations will remain intact,» she stated. However, she acknowledged the disappointment for interregional competition while ensuring that each discipline will still hold its national championship, funded adequately.
The cuts do not end with the cancellation of the games. The Treasury decree also reduces investment in sports infrastructure by 1.117 billion pesos and cuts 763 million pesos intended for the 2027 Special Olympics World Games. Additionally, the Undersecretary of Sports will face a reduction of 277 million pesos in goods and services, as reported by The Clinic.
