Guarani, is "really the only thing that totally belongs to us, that does not come from anywhere else," says Paraguayan writer Maria Gloria Pereira. Guarani, an Indigenous language of the Guarani peoples, is spoken by almost 90% of the population and, declared an official language in 1992, is taught in all schools. Paraguayans are set to go to the polls on Sunday 30 April, and although many rallies have been held in Guarani, there is no Indigenous representation in Congress. With 7.5 million inhabitants, Paraguay is home to just 117,000 Indigenous people, less than 2 per cent of the population, comprising nine peoples, each with their own language, according to the 2022 census. IMAGES AND SOUNDBITES