Border crossing between Paraguay and Brazil becomes death zone for young Brazilians

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – Two young Brazilians, presumed brothers, were killed on Sunday night (1) at the border between Ponta Porã in Brazil’s Mato Grosso do Sul state and Pedro Juan Caballero in Paraguay.

Brazil’s Ponta Porã and Paraguay’s Pedro Juan Caballero form one city, and the border runs right through it.

In less than a week, there have already been six executions on this border.

The group, which calls itself “Justiceiros da Fronteira” (Border Guards), left a new note at the scene of the crime, which occurred on Sunday (1). The green paper found at the scene states that “no further robberies will be accepted in the region.” More than 30 shots were fired in the execution-style murder.

According to the G1 portal, the two brothers were on a motorcycle while the killers were in a pickup truck. The Paraguayan National Police will investigate the case.

Other deaths like this occurred in the same region, one of the most violent in the state and where crimes such as arms and drug trafficking are committed.

Last week, married couple Luis Mateo Martínez Armoa and Anabel Centurion Mancuelo, 21 and 22 years old respectively, were executed with more than 47 shots in a tavern located in Pedro Juan Caballero.

The handless body of a young man was found this week, along with a note saying that “the vigilantes are back.” There is no evidence that the murders were committed by the same group, as the investigation is still in its early stages.

Most of the executions in the border region take place on the Paraguayan side. For this reason, the investigation is limited to the neighboring country.

“We are on guard, we are not clueless, but officially we are not investigating the recent cases,” a Brazilian inspector said.