Paraguay Takes Fourth Place Among Countries with Highest Crime Rate in Latin America

Rising Crime Rates in Paraguay

According to the latest edition of the Global Organized Crime Index 2023, Paraguay has climbed to fourth place among 193 United Nations member countries with the highest crime rate. The report, released by Swiss-based nongovernmental organization Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime, reveals that Paraguay’s crime rate reached 7.52 points in 2023, a significant increase from 6.70 recorded in 2021.

Cocaine Trafficking: A Growing Concern

The data collected reveal that Paraguay has gone from being a transit country to an emerging source of cocaine, with an estimated flow of almost 200 tons of the drug per year, mainly from Bolivia and Peru. Drug trafficking evades land controls by using air and sea routes, with various criminals, including politicians and agricultural workers, participating in cocaine trafficking.

Paraguay as a Regional Epicenter

The report highlights that Paraguay is a key trafficking point to Brazil, leading illegal cannabis production in South America, and serving as a distribution center for synthetic drugs destined for Argentina and Brazil. The country also functions as a regional epicenter for arms trafficking and hosts Brazilian criminal gang operations.

Quote from Juan Martens, Researcher

“The convergence of criminal actors such as the PCC [Brazil’s First Capital Command], the ‘Ndrangheta [Calabrian mafia], as well as Colombian and Mexican criminal groups, put Paraguay on the map as a prominent distribution center,” said Juan Martens, a researcher at the National University of Pilar and INECIP-Paraguay.

Organized Crime in Paraguay

According to Interior Minister Enrique Riera, organized crime has advanced technology, unlimited financial resources, and significant operational capabilities, with open complicity in its criminal actions. The flow of cocaine comes from northern countries and enters Paraguay through some 1,500 clandestine airstrips, mainly located in Chaco, Canindeyú, Itapúa, and Misiones.

Government Response

In response to the growing threat of organized crime, the government is looking into purchasing a shared radar system to improve airspace surveillance and protection. Authorities are also carrying out ongoing extensive intelligence work, which recently resulted in the seizure of 3.3 tons of cocaine hidden in a container of rice bound for Belgium.

Cooperation Between Countries

The seizure was the second most significant in the history of the fight against drug trafficking in Paraguay, highlighting the need for effective cooperation between countries to combat transnational organized crime. “Organized crime is a challenge that crosses borders,” said Martens. “It requires effective cooperation between countries from its beginnings in Bolivia, through Paraguay and Argentina, to possible destinations such as Europe or the United States.”