PARAGUAY’S SECURITY: TRANSNATIONAL CRIMEMichael Scadden

PARAGUAY

*Image from CIA World Factbook

*Image from CIA World Factbook

*Image from CIA World Factbook

COUNTRY DATA*

• Population: 6,703,860 (July 2014 est.)– Growth rate: 1.19% (2014 est.)

• Urbanization:– Urban population: 59.4% of total population (2014)– Rate of urbanization: 2.1% annual rate of change

(2010-15 est.)

• Racial Makeup: Mestizo (mixed Spanish and Amerindian) 95%, other 5%

 • Religion: Roman Catholic 89.6%, Protestant 6.2%,

other Christian 1.1%, other or unspecified 1.9%, none 1.1% (2002 census)

 • GDP: $31.3 billion (2014 est.) • GDP per capita: $8,400 (2014 est.) • Average GDP growth per year:

– 4% (2014 est.)– 13.6% (2013 est.)– -1.2% (2012 est.)

• Gini Coefficient: – 53.2 (2009)– 57.7 (1998)– Country comparison to the world: 13– World Bank estimated a gini coefficient of 48.0 in

2012**

• Population Below Poverty Line: 34.7% (2010 est.)

• Public Debt as % GDP: – 18.4% of GDP (2014 est.)– 15.3% GDP (2013 est.) 

• External Debt: $8.759 billion (2014 est.)

• Major Export: Soybeans, livestock feed, cotton, meat, edible oils, wood, leather

 • Export Partners: Brazil 30%, Russia 10%, Argentina

9.3%, Chile 5.3% (2013) 

• Exports: $14.61 billion (2014)*Gathered from the CIA World Factbook (CIA)**World Bank Data (GINI)

TRANSNATIONAL CRIME IN PARAGUAYAND THE TRI-BORDER AREA

• Cannabis (Ferris)

– 2nd largest producer after Mexico– Produces half of all of South America’s cannabis– Largest exporter to neighboring countries

• Cocaine (Parkinson)

– Major international transhipment point– Domestic consumption

• Smuggling– Weapons– Wildlife (Looft)

– Contraband– Human Trafficking

*Image from insightcrime.org

• International Criminal Organizations– Growing presence of Brazilian drug cartels (Sokatch)

• First Capital Command• Red Command

– Local criminal organizations involved in international narcotics distribution

– Hezbollah presence and activity (Levitt)

WORLD CANNABIS SEIZURES: PARAGUAY RANKS 3RD

*Image from UN Office on Drugs and Crime

EXAMPLES OF COUNTERING INTERNATIONAL CRIMINAL ACTIVITY IN PARAGUAY

• Brazilian Criminal Organizations– Currently:

• SENAD (Paraguay’s Anti-Drug Secretariat/Narcotics enforcement agency) Collaboration with Brazilian authorities and support from the Brazilian government• Receives training and support from US forces (Martin 27)

– Recommended:• Expanding collaboration with Brazil and other neighboring countries

• Hezbollah Activity– Currently:

• International counter narcotics and passport fraud investigations have brought down members of the organization (Levitt 79)

– Recommended:• Expand international cooperation throughout the Western Hemisphere to stem fundraising and other activities in the TBA (Levitt 81)

• Smuggling– Currently:

• Corruption and porous borders contribute to Paraguay being a major center for smuggling• UN has threatened sanctions for wildlife smuggling (Looft)

– Recommended:• Seek international assistance to expand border control infrastructure• Seek international assistance for alternative development

WORKS CITED

• Ferris, Pablo. "Paraguay's Marijuana Trade: The Bitter Green Smell of the Red Land." Paraguay's Marijuana Trade: The Bitter Green Smell of the Red Land. Insight Crime, 4 Aug. 2014. Web. 21 July 2015. <http://www.insightcrime.org/news-analysis/inside-paraguay-marijuana-trade-to-brazil>.

• "GINI Index (World Bank Estimate)." GINI Index (World Bank Estimate). World Bank Development Research Group, 2015. Web. 21 July 2015. <http://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SI.POV.GINI>.

• "CIA World Factbook: Paraguay." Central Intelligence Agency. Central Intelligence Agency, 15 July 2015. Web. 21 July 2015. <https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/pa.html>.

• Looft, Christopher. "UN Threatens to Sanction Paraguay for Wildlife Smuggling." UN Threatens to Sanction Paraguay for Wildlife Smuggling. Insight Crime, 8 Aug. 2012. Web. 21 July 2015. http://www.insightcrime.org/news-briefs/un-threatens-to-sanction-paraguay-for-wildlife-smuggling.

• United Nations. UNODC. World Drug Report. 15th ed. Vienna: United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, 2015. Print.

• Levitt, Matthew. "South of the Border, A Threat from Hezbollah." The Journal of International Security Affairs (2013): n. pag. Web. <https://www.washingtoninstitute.org/uploads/Documents/opeds/Levitt20130515-JISA.pdf>.

• Parkinson, Charles. "Paraguay Uncovers Multinational Group Linked to Domestic Cocaine Processing." Paraguay Uncovers Multinational Group Linked to Domestic Cocaine Processing. Insight Crime, 5 Mar. 2014. Web. 20 July 2015. <http://www.insightcrime.org/news-briefs/paraguay-uncovers-multinational-group-linked-to-domestic-cocaine-processing>.

• Sokatch, Jen. "Brazil Drug Gangs Have Offices in Paraguay: Police." Brazil Drug Gangs Have Offices in Paraguay: Police. Insight Crime, 19 May 2011. Web. 20 July 2015. <http://www.insightcrime.org/news-analysis/brazil-drug-gangs-have-offices-in-paraguay-police>.

• US. Southcom. Paraguay Strategic Culture. By Felix Martin. Sweetwater: Florida International U, 2010. Print.