Paraguay and Brazil launch mega combined operation on border area

Paraguay and Brazil join forces to fight organized crime, drug production and trafficking, arms trafficking, and other cross-border crimes, such as smuggling.

The combined action consists of the coordination of operations Agata on the Brazilian side and Basalto on the Paraguayan territory.

The Brazilian agencies involved are the Ministry of Defense, the Ministry of Justice and Public Security, and the Institutional Security Cabinet of the Presidency of the Republic.

On the Paraguayan side, the Ministry of Defense – Military Forces – Joint Chiefs of Staff, the Ministry of the Interior, the National Anti-Drug Secretariat, the National Police, and the Interinstitutional Unit to Combat Smuggling will actively participate.

The country’s command and operational control will be in charge of the Internal Defense Operations Command (CODI).

It is a coordinated operation between the armed forces and security agencies of Paraguay and Brazil to combat organized crime and other cross-border crimes, demonstrating shared responsibility and common interest in addressing the security problems affecting both countries.

It is the first time that this level of combined, joint, and interagency operation has been achieved.

On Tuesday, July 19, the main authorities of the institutions involved in the operations mentioned above met at the Military Villa in Ponta Porã, Brazil, to officially start the operations, which will last until the end of July.

The meeting was attended by the Minister of the Interior, Federico Delfino, the Minister of Defense, Bernardino Soto Estigarribia, the head of Senad, Zully Rolón, the commander of the National Police, Gilberto Fleitas, the Security Advisor of the Presidency, Cecilia Pérez, and the director of the Interinstitutional Unit for the fight against Contraband, Emilio Fúster, among other authorities.

With information from Agencia IP