Country Reports on Terrorism 2013 - Paraguay

Overview: The Government of Paraguay continued to pursue individuals under counterterrorism laws created in 2010 and 2011. In August, President Horacio Cartes successfully lobbied the Paraguayan Congress to modify the National Defense Law and broaden the Executive's authority to deploy the Paraguayan military domestically to combat internal threats. Paraguay faced challenges of ineffective immigration, customs, and law enforcement controls along its porous borders, particularly the Tri-Border Area with Argentina and Brazil.

2013 Terrorist Incidents: Since 2008, persons claiming to be part of the Paraguayan People's Army (EPP) – an internal guerrilla movement – have been active in the northern Departments of Concepcion and San Pedro. The group has been involved in violence designed to intimidate the population and government. The true size of the group has been difficult to establish, but the Government of Paraguay believes it to be a small, decentralized group of 20-100 members. Assumed EPP activity intensified in 2013, with multiple attacks occurring on isolated police and army posts, on ranchers and on peasants accused of collaborating with security services.

The EPP is widely suspected to be responsible for the following incidents in 2013:

• On February 19, a human rights activist was killed by alleged members of the EPP.

• On April 18, a civilian truck driver was killed by alleged members of the EPP.

• On April 21, one policeman was killed and three were injured by a roadside bomb allegedly planted by the EPP in Concepcion during national elections.

• On May 31, alleged members of the EPP killed a rancher in Tacuati.

• On August 17, five security guards at the same ranch in Tacuati were executed by alleged members of the EPP who then used homemade bombs and firearms to attack reinforcements sent to the scene.

• On October 1, a policeman was killed and six injured in a shootout in Tacuati when alleged EPP members ambushed a convoy with the Minister of the Interior.

• On October 23, the chief of police in Horqueta was killed and three others were injured in a shootout with alleged EPP members.

• On December 8, a military official was killed and another wounded in a shootout with alleged EPP members in Horqueta, Concepcion.

Legislation, Law Enforcement, and Border Security: Paraguay pursued individuals suspected of terrorist crimes under laws passed in 2010 and 2011. Counterterrorism functions are handled by the Paraguayan National Police Secretariat for the Prevention and Investigation of Terrorism.

On August 22, the Paraguayan Senate approved a law to give the President power to use the armed forces to confront "internal or external aggression that threatens the sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity of Paraguay." While this authority does not require prior congressional approval, the President must notify Congress within 48 hours of deployment. Since the passage of the law, military forces have been deployed in the San Pedro, Concepcion, and Amambay departments with limited success.

The government made upgrades to Paraguay's principal international airport, the Silvio Pettirossi Airport in Asuncion, to improve perimeter security and immigration controls. Few steps were taken to address security issues at land border crossings, however, particularly with respect to the large and generally unprotected borders with Argentina and Brazil. The minimal police and military presence along these borders allowed for a largely unregulated flow of people, contraband, and money.

The Government of Paraguay continued to cooperate with the United States on counterterrorism matters, and the U.S. Department of State's Antiterrorism Assistance program contributed to building Paraguay's counterterrorism law enforcement capacity through training that included: the Police Leader's Role in Combatting Terrorism, Fraudulent Document Recognition, Investigating Terrorist Incidents, Interviewing Terrorist Suspects, and Cellular Telephone Forensics. Paraguay's efforts to provide more effective law enforcement and border security were hampered by pervasive corruption within security, border control, and judicial institutions.

Countering the Financing of Terrorism: Paraguay is a member of the Financial Action Task Force of South America against Money Laundering (GAFISUD), a Financial Action Task Force-style regional body. Paraguay maintains counterterrorist financing legislation, although there were no terrorist financing convictions in 2013. Significant quantities of money are laundered through businesses or moved in cash. For further information on money laundering and financial crimes, see the 2014 International Narcotics Control Strategy Report (INCSR), Volume 2, Money Laundering and Financial Crimes: http://www.state.gov/j/inl/rls/nrcrpt/index.htm.

Regional and International Cooperation: Paraguay collaborated with Brazil and Argentina in border protection initiatives, regional exchanges, and discussions on counterterrorism and law enforcement projects. In March, Paraguayan officials attended the 13th Regular Session of the OAS's Inter-American Committee against Terrorism (CICTE).