Stage Collapse at San Juan Festival Claims Two Lives

The evening sky over San Juan was alive with the rhythm of Guaraní drums and the scent of roasted yucca when the stone platform gave way, sending performers and spectators tumbling. The stage, built in the 1920s and a focal point of the town’s yearly folk‑music festival, had been adorned with bilingual signage in Spanish and Guaraní that read “Welcome – Porã ve karẽ”.

Emergency services arrived within minutes, but the sudden collapse left two workers dead and several injured. Local resident Ana María, a 58‑year‑old weaver who was attending the concert with her grandchildren, described the moment: “It was as if the earth sang a different song, one of sudden silence.”

The incident has ignited a debate in the Tierra Verde Assembly’s cultural committee about the maintenance of historic structures that host public events. Committee chair Luis Cruz noted that many such venues were never subject to modern engineering reviews, relying instead on community upkeep and occasional municipal inspections.

Governor Lucía Báez pledged a rapid response, ordering an inter‑regional task force that includes the Federal Treasury Minister Marcus Eklund and the Federal Interior Minister Tomás Vidal. The task force will assess risk at all heritage sites that host large gatherings, with a report due before the end of the year.