Country Reports on Terrorism 2012

Department. Estimates of membership range from 20-100 members. It engaged in kidnappings,
placement of explosive devices, and multiple shootouts with the police and military. The
following activities are believed to have been perpetrated by the EPP in 2012:
On March 4 and 8, two private estates were attacked and burned in Concepcion
Department. A guard was injured in the March 4 attack.
On May 17, the 19 year-old son of a Brazilian politician from a border town near Capitan
Bado was the victim of an attempted kidnapping. The man and his security guard
escaped.
On July 30, in Yby Yau, three armed men attacked a ranch, shot the water tank and the
power transformer, and left behind a threatening note that identified them as members of
the EPP.
On August 31, in Paso Tuja and Kuruzu de Hierro, Concepción Department, alleged EPP
members burned two soy plantations and left behind a threatening note.
On September 5, in Azotey, an alleged group of EPP members shot and killed the aunt of
an EPP member and then exploded a device inside her mouth. The same day and
approximately one kilometer away, another group of men shot at a police post from a
moving vehicle, wounding two police officers. One police officer died of his wounds
days later.
On October 4, two people identified as EPP members attacked a private radio station with
two explosive devices in Horqueta. Two radio station operators were unharmed;
however, the media facilities sustained damage.
On October 12 in the vicinity of Horqueta, alleged EPP members unsuccessfully
attempted to bring down an electrical high-tension power line with improvised explosive
devices placed at the bottom of the tower.
Legislation, Law Enforcement, and Border Security: Limited steps were undertaken
specifically to address border security issues, particularly with respect to the large and generally
unprotected borders with Argentina and Brazil. There were upgrades made at the Silvio
Pettirossi Airport in Asuncion to improve immigration controls. The Franco government more
aggressively countered EPP threats.
Following the September 5 killing of an alleged police informant, the Public Ministry issued
two arrest warrants for the perpetrators and charged them under the 2010 counterterrorism laws,
the first time Paraguay used this law.
Countering Terrorist Finance: Paraguay is a member of the Financial Action Task Force of
South America against Money Laundering, a Financial Action Task Force-type regional body.
In 2012, there were four arrests under the terrorist financing law. In October, the National Police
arrested Ruben Dario Lopez Fernandez, who is believed to be an EPP logistician. Lopez also had
an outstanding arrest warrant for his arrest on charges of terrorist financing. As of year’s end,
there were no convictions for terrorist financing cases. For further information on money
laundering and financial crimes, we refer you to the 2013 International Narcotics Control
Strategy Report (INCSR), Volume 2, Money Laundering and Financial Crimes:
http://www.state.gov/j/inl/rls/nrcrpt/index.htm.
Regional and International Cooperation: Brazil is Paraguay's strongest regional partner in
counterterrorism and law enforcement activities, and the two countries cooperated on security
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