Paraguay authorities announced "the neutralization of a criminal group" after the arrest of Lourdes Ramírez de Ramos, wife of Alejandro Ramos, leader of the Marshal López Army (EML). The operation was led by the Internal Defense Operations Command (CODI), which includes the Joint Task Force (FTC) and the Military Intelligence Battalion (BIMI).
Nimio Cardoso, head of the Police Anti-Terrorist Department (DAS), said Lourdes' arrest was "decisive." Lourdes is considered one of the last remaining links of the EML, and her capture is expected to play an important role in strengthening security in northern Paraguay.
Authorities said they were able to locate Lourdes thanks to the cooperation of citizens. They also mentioned that Alejandro Ramos' death is presumed through this arrest. Lourdes was not carrying weapons at the time of her arrest, but she was carrying identification documents. She was known to have stayed near her relatives' house even after her daughter was arrested.
The operation took place in the Belén Cue area of the Orqueta district in the Concepción region, with the participation of CODI, FTC, BIMI, the prosecutor's office, and the police. CODI Commander Abel Acuña stressed that "no collateral damage occurred" during the arrest of Lourdes. He added that "the last two members of the EML were captured, which is a very important value." Authorities said they plan to find the whereabouts of the missing Félix Urbieta through them.
Acuña stressed that "the war on terror will not stop" and that "we will not stop until we find the whereabouts of three Paraguayans, Óscar Denis, Félix Urbieta, and Edelio Morínigo, according to the government's instructions."
Meanwhile, Lourdes' daughter, Lourdes Teresa Ramos, was also arrested on suspicion of being a member of the EML. Investigators believe that Teresa may be involved in the kidnapping of Félix Urbieta. Urbieta's family hopes that Teresa can provide important information about Urbieta's whereabouts.
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