All amounts in U.S. dollars. Numbers in italics are estimates, usually based on the closest year for which data are available.

All amounts in U.S. dollars. Numbers in italics are estimates, usually based on the closest year for which data are available.

All amounts in U.S. dollars.

All amounts in U.S. dollars.

Document: Bureau for International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs Program and Budget Guide, Fiscal Year 2010

Program: International Narcotics Control Economic Aid

FY 2010 Program

Demand Reduction

The goal of this project is to continue to expand the GOP’s drug abuse awareness program and will build on the achievements of previous years. Funds will be used to develop flyers, pamphlets, and other educational materials to be distributed by SENAD at schools and to enable the GOP to update its national study of the prevalence of risk factors in order to track the effectiveness of its demand reduction programs.

Document: Bureau for International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs Program and Budget Guide, Fiscal Year 2010

Program: International Narcotics Control and Law Enforcement

Program Objectives and Performance Indicators

Enable the Government of Paraguay (GOP) to strengthen its technical and operational ability to interdict narcotics, conduct complex criminal investigations, and arrest traffickers.

• Increased quantity of cocaine seized; increased presence of Paraguay's anti- narcotics secretariat (SENAD) in areas where it previously had little or no presence; expanded SENAD operations.

Document: 2007 End-Use Monitoring Report

Program: International Narcotics Control and Law Enforcement

Procedures

The INL program assistant conducted periodic visits throughout the year to verify the status of commodities located in the outlying areas of the country. In addition, new color-coded and numbered stickers were placed on all items that were donated to the Government of Paraguay (GOP) to include vehicles and office furniture. INL provides computer equipment, software, training courses, vehicles, and tactical equipment to a variety of GOP agencies. These agencies include the Anti-Drug Secretariat (SENAD), the Ministry of Women for Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Program, the Specialized Investigation Unit (UTE), the Statistics Center Unit of the Ministry of Industry and Commerce (MIC), and the Public Ministry IPR Prosecutor’s Unit.

Status

All items provided to SENAD, SEPRELAD, UTE, MIC, and the Ministry of Woman’s Affairs are in good working condition, except for a few equipment items that were identified as deteriorated by normal wear and tear. The deteriorated equipment was separated out in order to proceed with the proper disposal. The GOP maintains INL-provided commodities in several field locations including Ciudad Del Este (CDE), Mariscal Estigarriba, Asuncion, and Pedro Juan Caballero. All equipment is used for its intended purpose.

Vehicles

Five new vehicles were donated to the IPR unit of the Public Ministry for operational and interdiction purposes. Two of these vehicles are in CDE and are kept in mint condition.

The SENAD has 21 INL-provided vehicles ranging in model years from 1996 to 2005. These vehicles are in good condition and are currently in use by SENAD for operational and interdiction purposes. INL provides maintenance services to 14 of these vehicles through a contract with a local dealer. The accident rate is very low; this year only one serious accident occurred during a SENAD operation. Fortunately, no casualties were reported and the insurance company is in the process of covering all the vehicles damages. Additionally, SENAD has four motorcycles.

Three vehicles were donated to UTE for operational and interdiction purposes. These vehicles are in excellent condition and are also being used for their intended purpose.

Vessels

SENAD has two boats with outboard motors and trailers. They are in working condition but need to be replaced soon.

Computer Equipment

Last year, INL provided computer equipment to UTE, SENAD, the Women’s Secretariat, and the Public Ministry. All of the equipment is in good working condition and is being used for its intended purpose.

In 2007, INL provided three new desktop computers, one laptop and three printers to SENAD; two computer servers, and one desk computer, four laptops, and nine printers to the Public Ministry; and one desktop computer to the Women’s Secretariat. All are in good condition and being used for their intended purpose.

Detector Dogs

INL funds support the detector dog program, which employs 13 dogs. INL funding provides veterinary care, food, new dogs, uniforms, and maintenance of the kennels and a vehicle for transporting the canines and guides to the various checkpoints throughout the country. This year one of the detector dogs died and three new dogs were locally purchased and incorporated into the program. The canine units are housed in kennels located at Asuncion Silvio Petirrossi International Airport, the SENAD regional bases at Mariscal Estigaribia, and Pedro Juan Caballero.

In 2007, the canines detected 51 kilogams of cocaine and 279 kilograms of marihuana, primarily through interdiction operations in Asuncion’s International Airport and in Mariscal Estigarribia, which is in the northern part of Paraguay near its border with Bolivia.

Communications Equipment

The communications equipment donated in prior years was inventoried by the INL program assistant and accounted for. In general, most of the equipment that had been donated in prior years is in fair condition; however, it is recommended that this equipment be replaced promptly.

Laboratory Equipment

The SENAD laboratory is equipped with one auto-injector module for eight sampler turrets, an auto-sampler tray module, and a Chem-Station PC bundle system. This equipment, donated in 2005, is in excellent condition. The drug laboratory played a key role in identifying the drugs, contributing to the conviction of drug traffickers.

The SENAD Central Counter Drug Laboratory has an Agilent Gas Chromatograph, a Mass Spectrometer System (GCMS), and a Gas Chromatograph Flame Ionization Device (GCFID) to support evidence processing in criminal drug cases. This lab equipment will support future investigative procedures and help bring investigative standards closer to international standards.

All laboratory equipment is located at SENAD’s base in Asuncion.

Construction Projects

INL concluded the construction of a regional office facility for SENAD in Pedro Juan Caballero on April 11 at the approximate cost of $500K. This project was designed to enhance the GOP’s narcotics enforcement activities and cooperation with other Southern cone countries. The new facility includes one dorm for 30 special agents, one administrative building, a hanger and a K-9 kennel facility. At the end of the year, INL inspected this regional facility, which is being used and maintained properly. Post’s INL assistant also conducted periodic visits to the facility during the year.

Miscellaneous Equipment

INL donated furniture to the new regional TIP Shelter in Asuncion, including six bunk beds, 12 lockers, two desks, kitchen appliances, two tables, 10 chairs, a living room set and office equipment.

Impact

The USG continues to support GOP efforts to enhance its institutional capabilities to combat and prosecute transnational and organized crime. For SENAD, all office equipment, communications equipment, vehicles, the canine program and the new facility in PJC are aimed at bolstering interdiction efforts and operational capabilities. SENAD has continued to make advances in its drug enforcement activities, including the seizure of cocaine and marijuana and the disruption of important drug networks that operate in the country.

Post’s assistance to the MIC is dedicated to helping the IPR unit of UTE increase its ability to conduct operations in the tri-border area. Support to the Women’s Secretariat is primarily to combat TIP and to establish a shelter that can accommodate up to 20 women and girls who have been illegally trafficked outside Paraguay. Staff members will provide victims with medical, legal, and psychological assistance.

Document: FY 2010 Congressional Budget Justification for Foreign Operations

The United States will support the new Paraguayan Government's ambitious agenda to stem corruption and impunity, create jobs, and increase social investment to reduce poverty and improve health care services. In support of Paraguayan efforts to achieve these objectives, U.S. foreign assistance is aimed at strengthening democratic institutions and the rule of law, increasing trade, encouraging a more efficient business environment, and improving access to health care.

Peace and Security: Ensuring continued stability and security is a top concern for the Government of Paraguay (GOP), as it confronts a broad range of international crime threats including drug and arms trafficking, money laundering, counterfeiting, document forgery, intellectual property rights piracy, and trafficking in persons, particularly in the tri-border area. The United States will collaborate with Paraguayan authorities and partners in the region to target specific criminals and their organizations, and to help the new GOP develop a National Security Strategy. To achieve these objectives, U.S. programs will support legal reforms and provide training and equipment to bolster Paraguay’s capacity to investigate, capture and prosecute criminals. U.S. programs will also strengthen Paraguay's military as a democratic institution through the reorganization, modernization, and professionalization of the military’s key support, communications, and logistical forces. These improvements will increase the military’s ability to participate in peacekeeping operations.

Governing Justly and Democratically: The United States will help the GOP implement critical reforms that promote the professionalization of the civil service and improve transparency and accountability, including responsiveness to citizen needs. Anti-corruption efforts will include tracking corruption cases, strengthening internal investigative units, and improving the prosecutors’ capability to fight corruption. U.S. programs also will help improve local governments' ability to provide services by increasing tax revenue and citizen participation in decision making.

Investing in People: The United States will provide the Ministry of Health the technical assistance it needs to respond to public health emergencies, such as recent dengue and yellow fever outbreaks, and to improve information systems so that it has reliable, accurate, and timely data to monitor performance and implement more effective programs and policies. U.S. programs will help decentralize healthcare services to increase access to quality health care and extend the reach of family planning services, especially to underserved regions.

Economic Growth: The United States will continue collaborating with the GOP to promote economic policy reforms that address the corruption-induced distortions in the economy by supporting trade-based diversification, promoting exports and private sector investment, and improving business' ability to compete internationally. Technical assistance and training will help small farmers and local firms in rural, neglected areas of Paraguay improve their skills and knowledge of international standards and markets.

The United States will also expand the use of the Development Credit Authority to reduce constraints to credit in traditionally underserved economic areas by providing guarantees to one or more private banks over six years, increasing access to longer-term capital investment financing (more than one year) for small and medium rural enterprises. This effort will complement activities that support for equitable access by low- 646 income families and micro-scale enterprises to essential financial services (e.g. credit; savings; and insurance, remittances and payments services) provided by banks, non-governmental organization, financial institutions, and others.

Linkages with the Millennium Challenge Corporation The Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) approved a Phase II Threshold Program for Paraguay that focuses on sustaining achievements obtained during the first phase and addresses improving Paraguay's anticorruption indicator, which poses the largest hurdle to signing an MCC Compact. The Phase II program will strengthen key Paraguayan institutions charged with preventing, investigating, and prosecuting corruption.

Document: International Narcotics Control Strategy Report

Bilateral Cooperation. Working with the GOP, USG programs and policies in Paraguay focus on disrupting drug trafficking organizations and instituting stronger legal and regulatory measures to combat drug trafficking and money laundering. The GOP uses U.S. assistance to support SENAD's operations, including its base of operations in Pedro Juan Caballero and its canine program. U.S. assistance also provides support for SENAD operations in the northwestern town of Mariscal Estigarribia. The USG funded the participation of 50 new SENAD agents in a Basic Drug Enforcement Training Seminar which taught the knowledge and skills required to identify drug traffickers, to initiate and to develop investigations. The USG funded a five-week Sensitive Investigative Unit (SIU) program in Quantico, Virginia which trains DEA foreign counterparts to work on sensitive bilateral investigations. SENAD is one of only a dozen foreign counterpart agencies to obtain this training. The USG provided operational support and equipment to Paraguay’s intellectual property operational unit (UTE), as well as training seminars on intellectual property issues. The USG continued to provide a Resident Legal Advisor (RLA) to assist GOP efforts to pass and implement effective laws to combat money laundering, intellectual property theft, and terrorist financing.

Document: Section 1209 Report to Congress on Foreign-Assitance Related Programs Carried out by the Department of Defense

Program: Humanitarian and Civic Assistance

Projects support USSOUTHCOM TSC goal to shape the environment by promoting democracy, regional prosperity, and stability.

Document: Operation Southern Partner Ends

Program: Humanitarian and Civic Assistance

Airmen representing more than 25 career fields exchanged information and ideas with counterparts in the air forces of Chile, Paraguay, Argentina and Uruguay as they strengthened airman-to-airman relationships in the U.S. Southern Command area of focus.

Air Force subject matter experts took part in discussions, classes and field exercises in disaster preparedness, intelligence, search and rescue, command and control, maintenance, family readiness, public affairs, environmental protection and other career fields while also leading several joint community outreach projects.

Exchanges were designed to assist partner nation air forces during possible future cooperative efforts with U.S. forces while strengthening interoperability, understanding and relations with key career field counterparts. In addition, Airmen volunteered their free time to visit orphanages and shelters for abused children, repair a library in a trade school for at-risk youth, toured local emergency facilities and taught the dynamics of flight to schoolchildren in downtown Santiago, Chile.

Members of the Davis-Monthan AFB 48th Rescue Squadron led search and rescue exchanges in Uruguay and Chile, jumping out of a C-17 alongside military members of each partner nation. During one jump, more than 140 Uruguayan military members accompanied Airmen on a mission to simulate rescue efforts over land and water. In Chile, the team accomplished a high-altitude low-opening jump near an air base in the desert town of Iquique.

Document: IAAFA comes to JTF-Bravo, first time in 19 years classes held in C.A.

For the first time in 19 years, Inter-American Air Forces Academy instructors provided Air Force professional military education on Central American soil.

The IAAFA staff set up shop here and began instructing the Air Force Noncommissioned Officer Academy PME curriculum to 24 NCOs from 10 Latin American nations' air forces.

Airmen from Chile, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru and Uruguay attended the academy.

Joint Task Force-Bravo is hosting IAAFA by providing the infrastructure needed to provide support for the staff and students.

The two instructors and one administrator from Lackland provided the students with professional military education curriculum mirroring the Air Force NCO Academy and Squadron Officer School courses.

Document: International Narcotics Control Strategy Report

Bilateral Cooperation. USG programs and policies in Paraguay focus on assisting the GOP to disrupt drug trafficking organizations and institute stronger legal and regulatory measures to combat drug trafficking and money laundering. U.S. assistance supports SENAD’s operations, including its base of operations in Pedro Juan Caballero and an expanded canine-assisted drug detection program. U.S. assistance also supports SENAD operations in the northwestern town of Mariscal Estigarribia. USG-sponsored training programs sent SENAD canine handlers to Guatemala and two agents to Colombia. Other SENAD agents participated in DEA’s Special Agent exchange program with Chile, Bolivia, Brazil and Argentina. U.S. assistance also provided operational support and equipment to Paraguay’s intellectual property operational unit (UTE), as well as training seminars on intellectual property issues. The USG continued to provide a Resident Legal Advisor (RLA) to assist GOP efforts to pass and implement effective laws to combat money laundering, intellectual property theft and terrorist financing.

The Road Ahead. Although the GOP achieved record-breaking results in seizures and arrests in 2007, it must continue to focus its efforts to target major narcotics trafficking organizations operating in Paraguay. To do that, the GOP will have to allocate additional resources to law enforcement agencies and implement legal tools to facilitate investigations, the seizure and forfeiture of assets and prosecution of major offenders. The GOP must also pass and enact additional anti-money laundering legislation that meets international standards. The USG will continue to support GOP efforts to enhance its institutional capabilities to combat drug trafficking and money laundering, through its bilateral agreement as well as encourage, through diplomatic engagement at the highest levels, strong GOP will to prosecute transnational and organized crime figures. The USG will continue assisting SENAD and other relevant GOP bodies in their efforts to draft, legislate, and implement an asset seizure and forfeiture law, a criminal code and the criminal procedure code.

Document: Congressional Budget Justification for Foreign Operations

The United States, through the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and the Department of State, will strengthen the Anti-Drug Secretariat?s interdiction and demand reduction activities. Furthermore, assistance will improve enforcement of intellectual property rights and support Paraguay's ability to stop counterfeiting and trafficking in persons. Programs will increase civilian control of the military, respect for human rights, military justice reform, and management of defense resources.