U.S. sanctions former Paraguayan President Horacio Cartes for corruption

The U.S. State Department announced this Friday the “public designation” of former Paraguayan President Horacio Cartes (2013-2018) for his “participation in significant acts of corruption,” announced Washington’s ambassador to Paraguay, Marc Ostfield.

The decision means that the former president and his immediate family “are not eligible to enter the United States,” the diplomat added at a press conference.

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“During his term, Horacio Cartes used the Presidency of Paraguay to obstruct a transnational crime investigation involving his associates,” Ostfield added.

According to the diplomat, this maneuver allowed the now ex-president to continue participating “in corrupt activities,” including linking him with terrorist organizations and other entities sanctioned by the United States.

“That will not be our last appointment in Paraguay,” warned the U.S. delegate, who took over from him last March.

In addition, he affirmed that the appointment of Cartes, as well as the recent extradition of the Brazilian of Lebanese origin Kassem Mohamad Hijazi and the support for the anti-drug and anti-money laundering operation “A Ultraza PY” are an example of the “continuous support” of the U.S. to the Paraguayan fight against corruption and criminal activity.

“Today’s designation reaffirms the US commitment to combat corruption and impunity that undermine the faith of the Paraguayan people in their democratic institutions,” he added.

Last January, Cartes was reported to the Secretariat for the Prevention of Money or Asset Laundering (Seprelad) for “money laundering, illicit enrichment and false declaration,” reported the then Paraguayan Minister of the Interior, Arnaldo Giuzzio, who signed the accusation.

According to the text of the complaint, made public, Giuzzio observed “the existence of a set of facts and situations that could constitute indications of the commission of punishable acts of money laundering from smuggling and illicit enrichment in public office and other related crimes”.

The complaint, signed by Giuzzio himself in a private capacity and not as a member of Mario Abdo Benítez’s cabinet, adds that these facts “need to be deepened, analyzed and, where appropriate, in accordance with the legal powers granted to Seprelad, timely communicated to the Public Ministry”.

Cartes’ business group owns, among others, Tabacalera del Este (Tabesa), which last May sent a load of cigarettes to Aruba on a Venezuelan-Iranian plane investigated in Argentina for alleged international terrorism.

Tabesa ruled out any link with the Venezuelan-Iranian plane last June, indicating that the final buyer was in charge of hiring a broker and obtaining the aircraft.