PARAGUAY · SECURITY · US POLICY
Key Facts
- The country Paraguay is a landlocked South American country, run by President Santiago Peña and a close partner of Washington.
- What happened Peña and US Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau toured a new army anti-terror unit in Ciudad del Este on Wednesday 21 October 2026.
- The unit The Counterterrorism Company belongs to the army’s Third Infantry Division and targets terrorism and organised crime, mainly around the Triple Frontier.
- The US role Paraguayan media report that the unit was made possible by US help in training its soldiers.
- The next step Peña flew to the United States on 21 October and meets CIA director John Ratcliffe on Thursday 22 October.
- What it means for you Closer US-Paraguay security ties affect border controls, travel through the Triple Frontier and US firms eyeing Paraguay.
- Power Index Paraguay ranks 10th of 14 in The Rio Times Latin America Power Index, with 36.0 points (October 2026 edition).
Paraguay has opened a US-trained anti-terror unit near Brazil, and President Santiago Peña showed it to a top US diplomat on Wednesday 21 October 2026. Peña and US Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau toured the army’s Counterterrorism Company in Ciudad del Este, the daily Hoy reported.
For US readers, the visit shows Washington building a security partner at the Triple Frontier, where Paraguay, Brazil and Argentina meet. It follows two security agreements the two countries signed during Landau’s visit, described in our report on Landau’s visit to Paraguay.
What the Anti-Terror Unit Is
The Counterterrorism Company is a new unit of the Third Infantry Division, an army formation based in Ciudad del Este in Alto Paraná. Hoy says it fights terrorism and organised crime, mainly in the Triple Frontier.
During the tour, the delegation checked the unit’s personnel, weapons and vehicle fleet. The government calls it part of a wider push to strengthen border security through infrastructure, equipment and training.
What Landau Said About the Unit
Landau praised the new anti-terror unit and said Washington will keep cooperating with Paraguay on security. He called it very encouraging that Paraguay is evolving its security strategy to confront these threats, according to Hoy.
Paraguayan reports say the unit exists thanks to US cooperation in training its military personnel. Neither government has published the size of that training effort.
Why Ciudad del Este Matters
Ciudad del Este sits on the Paraná River, across from the Brazilian city of Foz do Iguazu. The Friendship Bridge links the two cities and carries a steady flow of people and trucks.
Defence Minister Óscar González has said the zone is exposed to terrorist groups and organised crime, Última Hora reported. He has also said Paraguay needs better trained soldiers and equipment to keep pace with the Brazilian army.
In May 2025 the government said it would put 10,000 million guaraníes (about US$1.7 million at 5,744 guaraníes to the dollar) into the Third Division. The daily Última Hora reported the money was for a barracks for 120 soldiers and military pickup trucks.
Who Can Use Soldiers Against Crime
González has explained that a 2014 law lets Paraguay’s armed forces act against internal threats, not only foreign ones. Any military action at home must be coordinated with the national police and stay under prosecutors’ control.
In August 2025 he said the Third Division would be strengthened as part of a planned anti-terror operations centre in Alto Paraná, ABC Color reported. The new company is the visible result of that plan.
Peña Heads to Washington
Peña left for the United States around midday on Wednesday and stays until Friday 23 October, La Nación reported. On Thursday he plans to meet CIA director John Ratcliffe and speak at a Washington university.
He is also keynote speaker at the annual gala of the Inter-American Dialogue, a Washington think tank that follows Latin American politics. Peña says Paraguay’s economic numbers are the best in Latin America and the Caribbean.
What It Means for US Readers
The new company shows US security aid moving from agreements on paper to trained soldiers on a border that Washington watches closely. Landau’s own words suggest the US sees Paraguay as a willing partner.
Travellers who cross at Ciudad del Este may see more military and police activity near the border. US companies weighing investment in Paraguay can read the move as a sign of how closely the two governments now work together.
What Is Not Known
Officials have not said how many soldiers serve in the anti-terror unit or how much it cost. The amount and form of US training, and whether US personnel work at the base, have not been disclosed.
No details have been released on what Peña and Ratcliffe will discuss in Washington. Paraguay has also not said which groups it will target first.
What Comes Next
Peña’s Washington programme runs until Friday 23 October 2026, with the CIA meeting and the gala on Thursday 22 October. Hoy reports he will also give a lecture at a Washington university that day.
Readers can follow Paraguay’s wider role between Washington, Brasília and Taipei in our guide to Paraguay’s geopolitics. The border’s other big asset, the shared power plant, is covered in Itaipú Dam Explained.
More: Paraguay news in English, every day from The Rio Times.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the new anti-terror unit?
It is the Counterterrorism Company, a new army anti-terror unit inside the Third Infantry Division in Ciudad del Este. It fights terrorism and organised crime, mainly in the Triple Frontier.
Who visited the unit on 21 October?
President Santiago Peña and US Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau toured the unit together. They checked its personnel, weapons and vehicles.
What is the Triple Frontier?
It is the border area where Paraguay, Brazil and Argentina meet around Ciudad del Este, Foz do Iguaçu and Puerto Iguazú. Paraguayan officials describe it as exposed to terrorist groups and organised crime.
Did the United States help set up the unit?
Paraguayan media report that the unit was possible through US cooperation in training military personnel. The size and cost of that help have not been published.
Why is Peña going to Washington?
He plans to meet CIA director John Ratcliffe on Thursday 22 October and speak at the Inter-American Dialogue gala. The trip follows the visit to the anti-terror unit.
Sources: Hoy, 21 October 2026; La Nación, 21 October 2026; Hoy, 21 October 2026; Última Hora, 13 May 2025; ABC Color, 23 August 2025.
This article was produced by The Rio Times’ automated newsroom system. How we use AI · Report an error · Editorial responsibility: Matthias Camenzind, Editor-in-Chief