Paraguay prepares new security plan against organized crime

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – “The aim is to implement it soon. We hope to do it before the end of the week. It is a matter of logistics,” said Interior Minister Arnaldo Giuzzio.

Abdo Benítez welcomed officials from the Interior, the Ministry of National Defense, the National Police Command, the Armed Forces, and the National Intelligence and Anti-Drug Secretariat (SENAD) at the Government House.

Giuzzio explained that “this is a long term strategy that will require the expansion of international cooperation” and highlighted that negotiations for joint action are “at an advanced stage” with Brazil.

“A couple of months ago Police Commander Luis Arias signed a cooperation agreement in Brasilia with the Federal Police to set up a joint command on the border between Pedro Juan Caballero and Ponta Porã,” he said.

He added that the plan will focus on border cities and may later be extended to Salto del Guairá, in the department of Canindeyú, and Capitán Bado, in the department of Amambay.

This will entail reinforcing the presence of public, law enforcement, intelligence and operational agents on the border, with prior targets in coordination with authorities of allied forces in the region.

According to the Minister, the problem is the continuity of these actions over time, because “generally” when forces withdraw from a territory, the groups promoting violence reestablish themselves.

Paraguay has for months been experiencing a wave of insecurity with a significant number of crimes committed by hired assassins, to such an extent that during the last change of National Police chiefs, President Abdo Benítez warned that all authorities in the area, including Minister Giuzzio, had a “deadline” to solve the situation.

“Today the problem of transnational organized crime is focused on the border, and this rebound effect is being observed lately in the interior of the country. We will have a strong presence in places we will announce, through law enforcement, intelligence and operational forces, with a precise target in coordination with other authorities of allied forces in the region,” the Interior Minister stated.