ASUNCION, Paraguay – Organized crime is rapidly spreading worldwide, with its realities being shared in real-time across nations, causing significant concern. Paraguay, in particular, finds itself in a grim situation, with increasing reports of corruption, impunity, money laundering, and the trafficking of illicit goods, including various weapons. Recent reports indicate that Paraguay ranks fourth globally in the organized crime index, a substantial increase from the previous year. Drug trafficking, arms trafficking, money laundering, and international remittances for financing terrorist activities are identified as major threats.
Paraguay Becomes a Hotbed for Organized Crime
Several complex factors contribute to Paraguay's emergence as a major hub for organized crime:
Strategic Geographical Location: Bordering Brazil and Argentina, Paraguay serves as a major transit point for drugs and other illicit activities. This makes it a crucial route for narcotics produced in South America to enter international markets.
Widespread Corruption and Impunity: Deep-rooted corruption in both public and private sectors facilitates the activities of criminal organizations, whose influence extends to the justice system and police. This creates an environment where criminals can operate with impunity.
Weak State Control: Vast borders and weak state control in some rural areas make it difficult to monitor and prevent criminal activities. Smuggling is particularly frequent through jungle areas and rivers.
Institutional Infiltration: Organized crime has already deeply infiltrated all levels of society, especially public institutions and the prison system, which are then used to conceal and abet their criminal acts. This leads to the paralysis of the judicial system and an increase in recidivism rates.
The main organized crime activities prevalent in Paraguay include:
Drug Trafficking: Paraguay is a significant transit point for cocaine produced in neighboring countries destined for international markets, and also a major producer of marijuana. Vast quantities of drugs are circulated across its borders.
Arms Trafficking: Various types of weapons, from conventional firearms to military-grade weapons, are illegally traded, becoming tools for other criminal activities.
Money Laundering: Enormous sums of illegally obtained money are disguised as legitimate assets through various financial transactions. Methods include real estate investment, large-scale cash transactions, and the use of offshore accounts.
Contract Killings: Contract killings related to territorial disputes or retaliatory actions between gangs highlight the brutality of organized crime in Paraguay.
Extortion and Kidnapping: Cases of extortion and kidnapping targeting businesspeople and the wealthy are also frequent, intensifying general insecurity in society.
Paraguayan Government's Efforts and Ongoing Challenges
The Paraguayan government is making efforts to combat organized crime, including:
Investment in Technology: To strengthen border control and improve response capabilities against illegal activities, the government has begun investing in advanced technologies such as radar and interceptors. This primarily focuses on monitoring illegal entry by air and river.
Enhanced Regional Cooperation: The Paraguayan government is strengthening information sharing and joint operations with neighboring countries to combat organized crime. Cooperation with Brazil and Argentina is particularly active.
Correctional System Reform: Reforms are being implemented in the correctional system to reduce prison overcrowding and enhance control over inmates, especially those involved in organized crime.
Fighting Corruption and Impunity: Despite significant challenges, the government is making continuous efforts to eradicate corruption and reduce the space for criminal organizations to operate.
However, Paraguay still faces numerous challenges:
Strengthening Institutions: It is essential to strengthen national institutions such as the judiciary, police, and control agencies to effectively deal with organized crime. The urgent need is to establish transparent and efficient systems.
Crime Prevention: Education, social development, and addressing inequality are crucial for crime prevention. This contributes to reducing the allure of criminal activities and strengthening the social fabric.
International Cooperation: International cooperation is vital to combat transnational organized crime, which operates across borders. Information sharing, joint investigations, and capacity-building support are required.
Global Organized Crime Index and Paraguay's Position
According to the 2024 Global Organized Crime Index published by the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime (GI-TOC), Paraguay is ranked as the fourth most vulnerable country to organized crime globally, following Myanmar, Colombia, and Mexico. The report assesses the scale and scope of organized crime and the resilience of 193 UN member states in combating it. It particularly highlights that Asia and the Latin America and Caribbean (LAC) regions are severely affected.
According to the report, Asia is the most affected continent, with an average score of 5.47 out of 10, and human trafficking is the most prevalent crime among the 15 criminal markets assessed. Following Asia, Africa and the Americas rank second and third, respectively, in the presence of organized crime. Europe, despite experiencing the largest increase in crime since 2021 (up by 0.16 points), remains one of the least affected continents with a score of 4.74 out of 10.
Recent Measures to Combat Organized Crime
In response to this situation, Paraguay and Argentina have agreed to deploy troops along their more than 1,600 km border. This aims to enhance surveillance in waterways frequently used for criminal activities, especially the transport of illicit goods.
Paraguayan President Santiago Peña urged European countries to join efforts in combating South American organized crime, emphasizing a significant increase in drug trafficking towards Europe. President Peña stressed that drugs produced in South America directly impact increased consumption and violence in European cities, thus necessitating the formulation and implementation of a global strategy to combat it.
GI-TOC's New Phase: Building Resilience and Strengthening Expertise
GI-TOC has announced a two-phase plan focused on strengthening coalitions for resilience against transnational organized crime and building expert networks. This specifically focuses on combating extortion in Central America. They have launched the "Coalitions for Resilience Project" in the Latin America and Caribbean region, concentrating on understanding and curbing the criminal culture of extortion.
GI-TOC's main activities include:
Strengthening Resilience Coalitions: Focusing on building regional expert networks and enhancing the capacity of communities to respond to extortion in the long term.
Expert Network: Building a global and regional network of over 600 experts working in human rights, democracy, governance, and development, where organized crime is a major issue.
"Coalitions for Resilience" Project: This project focuses on extortion in Central America, aiming to understand and curb the surrounding criminal culture.
Publication of the 2023 Global Organized Crime Index: This index assesses criminal markets and actors in 193 countries, as well as their respective resilience.
#CovidCrimeWatch: Exploring the impact of the pandemic on illicit economies and analyzing the relationship between the health crisis and organized crime.
Supporting Local Initiatives: GI-TOC supports local projects to build resilience and counter extortion.
"Criminal Culture: Extortion in Central America" Document: This document is the first step towards understanding the criminal culture associated with extortion in the region.
Indigenous Community Mapping: In collaboration with Raíchali, GI-TOC helps displaced indigenous communities create maps documenting their ancestral territories and the violence they have experienced.
Why Paraguay is on the 'Most Dangerous' List: BBC Analysis
The BBC analyzed eight reasons why Paraguay has been identified as a key hub for organized crime in South America:
Strategic Location: Its borders with Brazil and Argentina serve as major drug trafficking routes.
Institutional Corruption: The vulnerability of the justice system and police enables impunity.
Triple Frontera (Triple Border Area): This region where Paraguay, Brazil, and Argentina meet is notorious for illegal trade.
Marijuana Production: Paraguay is one of the largest marijuana producers in South America.
Money Laundering: Cartels use Paraguay for laundering illicit funds.
Weak State Presence in Some Areas: This facilitates the growth of criminal networks.
Increasing Influence of International Cartels: Groups from Brazil and Mexico, among others, operate in Paraguay.
Lack of River and Border Control: This encourages drug and arms trafficking.
Importance of Ongoing Efforts and International Cooperation
Organized crime in Paraguay poses a significant threat to national security and development. While measures are being taken to combat it, sustained collective efforts are essential to strengthen institutions, prevent crime, and ensure a safe environment for everyone.
GI-TOC plans to publish the third edition of the Global Organized Crime Index in 2025, providing a more detailed analysis of the global situation and assessing whether the measures implemented have yielded positive effects. This report makes it clear that organized crime remains a major challenge not only for Paraguay but for the entire Latin America and Caribbean region. International cooperation and more effective strategies and institutional strengthening are paramount to curbing the growth of criminal organizations and ensuring security in the region.
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