https://addyadds.substack.com/p/signs-of-a-cia-soft-coup-in-paraguays?sd=pf
April 20th, 2023 - 20 APR 2023
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The upcoming Paraguayan elections on April 30th have attracted significant attention from international intelligence agencies, as the outcome could impact diplomatic relations between China and Taiwan. Paraguay is currently the last supporter of a sovereign Taiwan in South America, and the United States has taken a keen interest in the nation's political landscape. This interest has resulted in a series of high-profile meetings and visits between the two countries, including meetings between Paraguayan President Mario Abdo, Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) Deputy Director David Cohen, and other key U.S. officials, with the aim of strengthening security cooperation.
Paraguayan Foreign Minister Julio Arriola also met with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken in Washington D.C., and President Mario Abdo Benítez visited Hurlburt Field, Florida, where he met with senior Air Force Special Operations Forces leaders, attended an unmanned aerial vehicle demonstration, and discussed shared security concerns.
Notably, Hurlburt Field is home to three special operations wings responsible for worldwide operations "in support of joint and coalition special operations missions, including direct action, unconventional warfare, special reconnaissance, counterterrorism, personnel recovery, psychological operations, and information operations."
Additionally, Paraguay's Minister of Industry and Commerce, Sole Núñez, attended the World Economic Forum's Young Global Leaders Annual Summit in 2020.
Amidst this flurry of diplomatic activity, Paraguayan Attorney General Emiliano Rolón Fernández launched a criminal investigation in March 2023, based on allegations by the U.S. government that former Paraguayan President Horacio Cartes and Hugo Velázquez Moreno engaged in systemic corruption that undermined democratic institutions in Paraguay. In January, the U.S. government also alleged that Cartes and Velazquez were connected to Hezbollah.
The timing of this came after former Paraguayan President Cartes sold assets to Banco Sudameris with the help of Gross Brown in Asuncion.
As the elections approach, Mirian Irún de Alegre, wife of Paraguayan presidential candidate Efrain Alegre, has been accused of hosting 20 Brazilian "computer experts" at a Lambare cooperative housing complex who reportedly did not pass through customs. This has raised concerns about potential election interference.
In preparation for the elections, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) sent a team to Asuncion to conduct discussions on the first review under the Policy Coordination Instrument Arrangement with Paraguay. An International Monetary Fund (IMF) team led by Mr. Mauricio Villafuerte visited Asunción from March 27 to April 4 to conduct discussions on the first review under the Policy Coordination Instrument Arrangement with Paraguay.
In September 2022, a fire broke out at the Superior Court of Electoral Justice of Paraguay, affecting 8,500 voting machines. The Paraguayan Public Ministry announced an investigation into the incident.
The political landscape in Paraguay is complex, with various parties and factions vying for influence. In one example, Euclides Acevedo, a prominent Freemason and former Minister of Foreign Relations, has been suggested as a potential candidate to run for President in an attempt to split the conservative vote. However, it remains to be seen how these various factors will play out in the upcoming elections.
Paraguay's political system is a constitutional republic with separation of powers between the executive, legislative, and judicial branches. The President serves as both the head of state and head of government, and the National Congress, composed of the Senate and the Chamber of Deputies, serves as the legislative body. Both the 45-member Senate and the 80-member Chamber of Deputies are elected through a system of proportional representation, with members serving five-year terms.
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