This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ASUNCION 000687 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEAHQS FOR OE, OEL/STEFFICK AND TREMPALA, OIL/COHEN 
 
POST FOR DEA ONLY 
 
E.O.: 12958: N/A 
TAGS: OTRA
SUBJECT: COUNTRY CLEARANCE CABLE 
 
 
¶1.   COUNTRY CLEARANCE IS GRANTED FOR S/A FRED SMITH, FOR 
   TRAVEL TO ASUNCION DURING THE PERIOD OF MAY 24, 2005 TO MAY 
   25, 2005 FOR THE PURPOSE OF IMPLEMENTATION AND TESTING OF 
   THE TELEPHONE SYSTEM.  THE CONTACT OFFICER FOR THE VISIT IS 
   S/A CHAD WHITEMAN, OFFICE TEL.: 301-985-9323 EXT. 2023. HOME 
   TEL.: 595-21-296-945. 
 
¶2.  HOTEL RESERVATIONS HAVE BEEN MADE AT THE SHERIDAN HOTEL, 
TELEPHONE NUMBER 011-595-21-617-7000. THIS HOTEL IS  LOCATED 
APPROXIMATELY FIVE MILE FROM THE EMBASSY.  COST OF A  SINGLE 
ROOM  IS  116.00  USD PER NIGHT WITHOUT  TAX  AND  BREAKFAST 
INCLUDED. 
 
¶3.   DUE  TO  BUDGET  CONSTRAINTS, POST  WILL  ONLY  PROVIDE 
AIRPORT EXPEDITER FOR INITIAL ARRIVAL AND FINAL DEPARTURE OF 
EMPLOYEES ASSIGNED TO POST, AS WELL AS FOR SENIOR OFFICIALS. 
OTHER  TRAVELERS REQUIRING SPECIAL ASSISTANCE SHOULD REQUEST 
AN EXPEDITER IN ADVANCE AND PROVIDE FISCAL DATE.  TAXIS RIDE 
FROM  THE  AIRPORT TO YOUR HOTEL MAY COST YOU ANYWHERE  FROM 
45,000 TO 60,000 GUARANIES APPROXIMATELY 8 TO 10 USD. 
 
 
¶4. ALL U.S. CITIZENS TRAVELING TO PARAGUAY ARE NOW REQUIRED 
TO HAVE VISAS.  AIRPORT AND BORDER VISAS ARE NOT AVAILABLE 
AT THIS TIME.  PLEASE CONTACT THE PARAGUAYAN EMBASSY OR 
CLOSEST CONSULATE FOR MORE INFORMATION, ESPECIALLY IF YOU 
REQUIRE A MULTIPLE ENTRY VISA. 
 
¶5. IF TRAVEL PLANS INVOLVE VISITING NEIGHBORING COUNTRIES, 
PLEASE ARRIVE WITH APPROPRIATE VISAS AND OBTAIN COUNTRY 
CLEARANCES FROM THE APPROPRIATE U.S. EMBASSIES. BRAZIL AND 
ARGENTINA REQUIRE VISAS FOR OFFICIAL TRAVELERS ON OFFICIAL, 
DIPLOMATIC AND/OR PERSONAL PASSPORTS.  OFFICIAL VISITORS 
CONTEMPLATING TRAVEL TO IGUAZU FALLS SHOULD ADVISE THE 
EMBASSY BEFORE DOING SO AS WELL AS EMBASSY BRASILIA AND/OR 
EMBASSY BUENOS AIRES IF THEY PLAN TO CROSS INTO BRAZIL AND 
ARGENTINA.  TRAVELERS ARE REMINDED THAT IGUAZU FILLS IS 
LOCATED ON THE BORDER OF BRAZIL AND ARGENTINA, ABOUT ABOUT 
TEN MILES EAST OF CIUDAD DEL ESTE, PARAGUAY, AND THAT 
TRAVELERS FROM PARAGUAY CROSS INTO BRAZIL. 
 
¶6.  POST RECOMMENDS THAT EVEN THOUGH YOU WILL BE ONLY 
TRANSITING BRAZIL, YOU ALSO OBTAIN A BRAZILIAN VISA.  IF THE 
AIRLINE CANCELS OR DELAYS ITS FLIGHT IN ASUNCION, THEY YOU 
MAY HAVE TO STAY IN SAO PAULO FOR ON DAY WHILE WAITING FOR 
THE NEXT AVAILABLE FLIGHT TO ASUNCION.  BRAZILIAN 
AUTHORITIES WILL NOT PERMIT YOU TO LEAVE THE AIRPORT TO GO 
TO A HOTEL WITHOUT A VALID BRAZILIAN VISA.  U.S. CITIZENS 
MAY BE FINGERPRINTED AND PHOTOGRAPHED UPON ENTRY INTO 
BRAZIL.  THIS APPLIES TO HOLDERS OF DIPLOMATIC AND OFFICIAL 
PASSPORTS AS WELL AS TOURIST PASSPORTS. 
 
¶7. THREAT ASSESSMENT: 
 
¶A.   POLITICAL VIOLENCE-TERRORISM: THERE ARE NO INDIGENOUS 
TERRORIST ORGANIZATIONS IN PARAGUAY.  THERE ARE NO POLITICAL 
GROUPS OR PARTIES THAT ARE CURRENTLY ACTIVE IN THIS COUNTRY 
THAT ARE SPECIFICALLY TARGETING U.S. INTERESTS. HOWEVER, 
GIVEN THE PRESENCE OF MEMBERS OF AND SUPPORT FOR EXTREMIST 
TERRORIST GROUPS IN THE TRI-BORDER REGION (ALTO PARANA AND 
ITAPUA DEPARTMENTS), VISITORS HERE CANNOT DISCOUNT THE 
POSSIBLITY OF TERRORIST ACTIVITY, TO INCLUDE RANDOM ACTS OF 
ANTI-AMERICAN VIOLENCE. 
 
¶B.   CRIME:  PARAGUAY IS A HIGH-THREAT POST FOR CRIME. PETTY 
STREET CRIME IN THE CITY OF ASUNCION AND THE IMMEDIATE 
SUBURBS CONTINUE TO BE A PROBLEM FOR RESIDENTS AND VISITORS 
ALIKE. VISITORS TO THE CITY OF ASUNCION SHOULD BE AWARE OF 
PROBLEMS WITH PICKPOCKETS OR PURSE SNATCHERS ON THE STREET 
OR ON PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION. UNTIL RECENTLY, MOST CRIME 
AFFECTING VISITORS HAS BEEN NON-VIOLENT; AGGRAVATED 
ROBBERIES, SHOOTINGS, ETC, WHILE NOT COMPLETELY UNHEARD OF 
IN ASUNCION, WERE NONETHELESS UNCOMMON. HOWEVER, INCIDENTS 
OF ARMED ROBBERIES OF BUSINESSES AND RESIDENCES BY CRIMINAL 
GROUPS ARE OCCURRING WITH GREATER FREQUENCY, AND AS A 
RESULT, IT IS RECOMMENDED THAT DUE CAUTION BE EXERCISED WHEN 
TRAVELING ABOUT THE CITY. 
 
¶8. THE SEASONS IN PARAGUAY ARE THE OPPOSITE OF THOSE IN THE 
UNITED STATES.  ASUNCION'S CLIMATE IS EXTREMELY HOT FROM 
NOVEMBER THROUGH APRIL AND COOL OR MILD IN JULY AND AUGUST. 
THE TRANSITIONAL SEASONS, MAY-JUNE AND SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER ARE 
UNPREDICTABLE: THEY CAN BE PLEASANT OR HOT. HEALTH 
CONDITIONS GENERALLY ARE GOOD. THE WATER IN ASUNCION IS 
POTABLE, AND THERE ARE FEW INTESTINAL OR STOMACH PROBLEMS. 
THERE IS NO ENDEMIC HEPATITIS OR MALARIA IN ASUNCION 
ALTHOUGH OUTBREAKS OF DENGUE FEVER ARE RECURRENT. 
 
¶9.  AS OF 05-19-05 THE CURRENT EXCHANGE RATE IS 6200 
GUARANIES PER ONE US DOLLAR. PERSONAL FINANCES:  OFFICIAL 
TRAVELERS MAY CASH PERSONAL CHECKS AT THE EMBASSY FOR 
AMOUNTS UP TO US$ 750.00 PER WEEK; AND USE THEIR ATM CARDS 
AT ONE OF THE MANY TERMINALS LOCATED THROUGHOUT THE CITY. 
BECAUSE OF RESTRICTIONS WITH THE EMBASSY BANK, ABN-AMRO, 
TRAVELERS'S CHECKS MAY ONLY BE CASHED WITH ONE OF THE LOCAL 
EXCHANGE HOUSES. 
 
¶10. LAPTOPS, PERSONAL DIGITAL ASSISTANTS (PDA), CELLULAR 
PILOTS, CELLULAR TELEPHONES AND OTHER ELECTRONIC DEVICES: 
LAPTOPS AND PDA MAY NOT BE BROUGHT INTO THE EMBASSY WITHOUT 
THE PRIOR APPROVAL OF THE REGIONAL SECURITY OFFICE. 
PERSONALLY OWNED LAPTOPS, PDAs/MAY NOT/NOT BE USED IN THE 
EMBASSY.  USG-OWNED LAPTOPS MAY ONLY BE USED IN CONTROLLED 
ACCESS AREAS (CAA) IF THE USER CERTIFIES THAT THE COMPUTER 
HAS BEEN CONTINUOUSLY UNDER THE PERSONAL CONTROL OF A 
CLEARED AMERICAN THROUGHOUT TRANSIT. IF THIS REQUIREMENT IS 
NOT MET, THE LAPTOP CAN ONLY BE UTILIZED OUTSIDE OF THE CAA. 
USG-OWNED PDAs ARE UNDER THE SAME RESTRICTIONS AS CELLULAR 
PHONES AND OTHER ELECTRONIC DEVICES, AND MAY NOT BE UTILIZED 
WITHIN THE CAA. 
 
¶11. SECURITY CLEARANCE:  STATE DEPARTMENT POLICY REQUIRES 
THAT ALL OFFICIAL VISITORS VERIFY THEIR SECURITY CLEARANCES, 
IN WRITING, WITH THE RSO IN ORDER TO HAVE UNESCORTED ACCESS 
TO THE EMBASSY.  VISITORS WHOSE CLEARANCES ARE NOT VERIFIED 
MUST BE ESCORTED AT ALL TIMES. TDY'ERS MUST SCHEDULE A 
SECURITY IN-BRIEFING WITH THE SECURITY OFFICE AS SOON AS 
POSSIBLE AFTER ARRIVING AT POST.  ACCESS BADGES WILL NOT BE 
ISSUED UNTIL THE EMPLOYEE HAS ACKNOWLEDGED RECEIPT OF THE 
REQUIRED SECURITY BRIEFING. 
GREGORY BELONEY, COUNTRY ATTACHE, DEA 
KEANE