Presidents of Brazil and Paraguay Discuss How to Combat Drug Trafficking

May 4, 2010 By Staff

Paraguayan President Fernando Lugo.

Today in Latin America

Top Story — The presidents of Brazil and Paraguay met on Monday at the border town of Pedro Juan Caballero to discuss how to address the threat posed by drug trafficking.

Drug trafficking along of the largely unpoliced border between the two countries has become rampant. Forty tons of cocaine and 15 percent of the world’s marijuana pass through Paraguay, largely en route to Brazil, according to The Associated Press.

The Paraguayan government is also facing challenges from a leftist guerrilla group known as the People’s Army of Paraguay (EPP, in Spanish). Last week, the Paraguayan government sent 1,000 troops to the northern borders with Bolivia and Brazil, where the EPP operates. The Paraguayan Congress has declared a month-long state of emergency and suspended some constitutional rights in five of the country’s departments.

The confluence of insurgency and drug trafficking along the Paraguay-Brazilian border has invited comparisons to Colombia and Mexico.

The leaders did not share the details of their security plans. Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva denounced criminality along the border, and said it is necessary “to aggressively attack drug consumers.”

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Headlines from the Western Hemisphere

North America

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Mexican soldiers seized a cache of gold-plated, diamond encrusted firearms in western Mexico that they believe belong to the Valencia gang, allies of the Sinaloa drug cartel.

Caribbean

Foreigners visiting Cuba are now required to carry travel health insurance or purchase a plan from the state.
Cuban head of state Raúl Castro dismissed the transportation minister and replaced the head of the Sugar Ministry.
Aid workers bound for Haiti are boosting the Dominican economy.

Central America

Goldcorp Inc. plans to sell a Guatemalan silver mine for $505 million in cash and shares.
Supporters of Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega have ignited protests against opposition, leading to concerns among business leaders and the United States.
Public Security Minister Óscar Álvarez rejected claims that an organized group seeks to silence the press in Honduras.

Andes

Colombia’s Avianca airline plans to open a new route from Bogotá to San Salvador to improve access to Central America and North America.
The Venezuelan bolivar fell to a record low against the U.S. dollar Monday, standing 23 percent weaker from where it began the year.

Southern Cone

Former Argentine President Néstor Kirchner received unanimous support to become Unasur’s secretary general.
Tax revenue in Argentina rose 31 percent in April.
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FIFA Secretary General Jerome Valcke criticized Brazil for missing deadlines for preparations for the 2014 World Cup.

Image: Fernando Lugo APC @ Flickr.

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