paraguay transnational crime
TRANSCRIPT
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.