Evan Ellis - Paraguay's Security Challenges and the Government Response
Dear Colleague,
I am proud to share with you my new work on the security challenges facing the government of Paraguay, and the working being done by the government of President Santiago Pena and his national security team to respond.
The article is based on my April 2024 trip to the country, and meetings with senior government officials, security experts, academics, and others in the country.
I argue that the success and security of Paraguay, which often receives little attention in Washington D.C., is far more strategically important than is recognized.
The country is severely stressed by its location on one of South America’s key narcotrafficking routes, making it of particular interest to major transnational criminal organizations in neighboring Brazil, which often also source their arms through the country. Paraguay is further a source of much of the continent’s marijuana production, and Ciudad del Este, which borders neighboring Brazil and Argentina, serves as an important regional hub for the Islamic terrorist organization Hezbollah. The country is also beset by endemic corruption and a small if difficult to eliminate homegrown terrorist organization.
Despite its challenges, however, the Pena government, in coordination with the U.S., Brazil, Taiwan, and Paraguay’s other international partners, has made important and credible strides to address the nation’s challenges.
This work is available for download in English from the Jack D. Gordon Institute of Florida International University:
It is also available in English directly from the website of the Jack D Gordon Institute of Florida International University:
https://gordoninstitute.fiu.edu/news-events/the-policy-spotlight/2024/paraguays-security-challenges-and-the-government-response.html
Podcasts, Media Appearances, and Radio Shows:
As always, I would also like to share with you my latest weekly segments on the John Batchelor Show, in his special ongoing series on Latin America, The New World Report.
The latest episodes (July 3, 2024) are:
Bolivia and the Autogolpe: https://audioboom.com/posts/8534487-newworldreport-bolivia-s-self-coup-and-why-latin-american-research-professor-evan-ellis-u
Uruguay and its elections: https://audioboom.com/posts/8534490-newworldreport-uruguay-votes-latin-american-research-professor-evan-ellis-u-s-army-war-colle
Argentina: https://audioboom.com/posts/8534491-newworldreport-the-mystery-of-the-attempted-assassination-of-cristina-kirchner-latin-american
Peru in China: https://audioboom.com/posts/8534492-newworldreport-peru-in-china-latin-american-research-professor-evan-ellis-u-s-army-war-colle
Website for all Publications:
As always, at my professional website you can access these, and past publications, webinars and podcasts:
https://revanellis.com/
Book on China-Latin America:
My latest book, China Engages Latin America: Distorting Development and Democracy, is available through my publisher Palgrave-Macmillan, at:
https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-3-030-96049-0
Please feel free to share this post with a friend or colleague. If you would like to be included in my (always free) distribution list, I welcome the opportunity to include you:
Thank you, as always, for your interest in my work.
Respectfully,
R. Evan Ellis, PhD
Latin America Research Professor
U.S. Army War College Strategic Studies Institute
@REvanEllis
Website: https://revanellis.com