Pubdate: Sun, 24 Sep 2000
Source: Jornal do Brasil (Brazil)
Copyright: 2000 Jornal do Brasil
Contact:  Av. Brasil, 500/6º andar (sala 600), Sao Cristovao, Rio de 
Janeiro/RJ, Brazil
Website: http://www.jb.com.br/
Author: Joao Pinheiro and Marco Antonio Martins
Note: FBIS Translated Text

THE UNITED STATES IS IMPLEMENTING PLAN PARAGUAY

The United States is zeroing in on drug trafficking in areas bordering with 
Brazil. After launching Plan Colombia early this month, the Americans have 
decided to follow an identical strategy regarding Paraguay. During visits 
to three Paraguayan Army bases located close to the Brazilian border, US 
Ambassador to Paraguay David Greenlee said that the fight on drug 
trafficking is a challenge that his country intends to face. Garments, 
equipment, and information services are already being lined up to fight the 
drug and arms trade on the border. "Paraguay is a transit country. It needs 
attention," he said.

The US diplomat conferred with Paraguayan officers a few days after a 
meeting of South American presidents was held in Brasilia, where it became 
clear that there was opposition to the US action in Colombia. At the same 
time, US Navy troops concluded exercises along the Paraguay River, which 
links the Brazilian, Argentine, and Bolivian territories.

Ambassador Greenlee dismissed the possibility that these maneuvers would 
entail future actions by US Armed Forces against drug traffickers in 
Paraguay. "It is a normal exercise that is conducted annually and it has 
provided useful information to the US and Paraguayan Armed forces. I also 
followed exercises in Bolivia."

In Brasilia, despite not participating in these maneuvers, the Brazilian 
Navy said that it had information about the exercises, described as "river 
operations conducted by US, Bolivian, and Paraguayan forces from August to 
September." Captain Luiz Fernando Palmer Fonseca, of the Brazilian Navy 
Public Relations Office, said: "Brazil has participated in these operations 
jointly with the navies of the United States, Argentina, Chile, Venezuela, 
Uruguay, Colombia, and Peru, conducting exercises with its ships on the sea 
coast close to the border with these countries."

Strategies [subhead]

Paraguayan Army officers have guaranteed that the meetings between the US 
ambassador and the Paraguayan officers were designed to formulate a 
strategy that would be implemented against drug trafficking. Surveys 
conducted by the Drug Enforcement Agency, DEA, the US agency in charge of 
fighting drugs, point to Paraguay as a hub for cocaine refining and sale of 
weapons for Colombian guerrilla fighters.

Talks for a US, Paraguayan alliance began early this month at the border 
with Brazil. Greenlee visited military bases in strategic points such as 
Pedro Juan Caballero, a Paraguayan city located across the border from 
Ponta Pora, Mato Grosso do Sul; Salto del Guaira, which is close to Guaira, 
in Parana State; and Curuguaty, which is 200 km away from the Brazilian 
border. Greenlee also overflew the Chaco Region at the border with Bolivia, 
in the northern part of Paraguay.

At the Pedro Juan Caballero base, which is located in the 13th Department 
of Amambay, the ambassador conferred for more than one hour with Paraguayan 
and US officers, and DEA agents. There, Greenlee had access to a videotape 
with details of operations conducted by the Antinarcotics Directorate 
(Dinar), which is responsible for fighting drug trafficking in Paraguay. 
The US ambassador also received a report with details on the action of 
traffickers and Dinar's problems to fight them.

Among the shortcomings, the Paraguayan officers mentioned a lack of 
aircraft to reach marijuana plantations and cocaine refining laboratories, 
which are normally set up in inaccessible areas. According to Paraguayan 
military officers, the possibility of building a US air base to control air 
traffic was discussed. The ambassador also visited the commercial center of 
Pedro Juan Caballero, a city with 45,000 residents that is separated from 
Brazil by a street.

In a meeting held in Asuncion with Paraguayan Air Force Commander Carlos 
Ovando, the ambassador said that the United Sates would be mediating for 
the release of six military helicopters donated by Taiwan to Paraguay. Gen. 
Ovando said: "The release of these US manufactured war aircraft must first 
be authorized by the United States. They will be used for air patrol from 
bases on the border and to fight drug trafficking." Bases located in the 
Chaco, which are close to Bolivia; and that of Caazapa, which is 211 km 
from the Argentine border, will receive airplanes.

An agreement between the Untied States and Paraguay sparked discussions 
about the involvement of the Armed Forces in fighting drugs. Like in 
Brazil, the Paraguayan Army, the Navy, and the Air Force can only 
participate in supplying equipment. Army General Expedito Garrigoza said: 
"That is a political decision. Up to this moment, the law does not provide 
for a direct involvement by military personnel in fighting drugs. These 
meetings are initially designed to exchange information."

Early this month, Paraguayan deputies began to discuss proposals for 
reorganizing the Armed Forces. Three proposals are based on the guiding 
principle that the Defense Ministry should be responsible for the chain of 
command of the Armed Forces.
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MAP posted-by: Jo-D