VZCZCXYZ0005
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHAC #0479/01 1282051
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 082051Z MAY 06
FM AMEMBASSY ASUNCION
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 4216
INFO RUCNMER/MERCOSUR COLLECTIVE
RUEHNR/AMEMBASSY NAIROBI 0226
RHEHNSC/WHITE HOUSE NSC WASHDC
RUMIAAA/USCINCSO MIAMI FL//SCJ5//
RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHDC
RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHDC
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC

UNCLAS ASUNCION 000479 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR WHA/BSC, INL, AND EB/IFD/OIA 
STATE PASS TO USAID FOR LAC/AA 
STATE PASS TO USTR FOR LYANG 
NSC FOR SUE CRONIN 
TREASURY FOR OSIA MAUREEN WAFER 
TREASURY FOR OTA WARFIELD, VAN KOCH, MILLAR 
COMMERCE FOR ITA SARAH COOK 
SOUTHCOM FOR POLAD 
NAIROBI FOR MICHAEL FITZPATRICK 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PREL PINR PHUM KCRM KWMN SMIG TW PA
SUBJECT: PARAGUAY POLITICAL AND ECONOMIC UPDATE, APRIL 30- 
MAY 6, 2006 
 
REF: ASUNCION 0348 
 
 
¶1. (U) SUMMARY: 
 
--Demonstration on May Day 
--Patria Libre Members Captured 
--19 Rescued from Brothel in Spain 
--Exploiting Children 
--Taiwanese President Visits Paraguay 
 
------------------------ 
Demonstration on May Day 
------------------------ 
 
¶2. (U) On 5/1, approximately 5,000 members of labor unions, opposition 
parties, students and other organizations participated in an annual 
labor-day demonstration.  This year, however, Monsignor Fernando Lugo 
and his Resistencia Cuidadana organization helped organize the event. 
Many of the speakers focused their comments on the economy, unemploymen 
and critiques of President DuarteQs inability to solve the country's 
problems.  (reftel) COMMENT: Although the 5/1 demonstration did not 
draw nearly as many participants as the 3/29 demonstration, it offered 
another opportunity to capture the limelight, fueling continued 
consideration of Lugo's possible presidential candidacy for 2008 
elections. End Comment) 
 
------------------------------------------ 
Patria Libre Members Captured in Argentina 
------------------------------------------ 
 
¶3. (U) On 5/2, five members of the Patria Libre (Free Fatherland) Party 
(PPL), Simeon Bordon Salinas, Agustin Acosta Gonzalez, Roque Rodriguez 
Torales, Basiliano Cardozo Gimenez and Aristides Vera were arrested, 
after attempting to obtain refugee status from the government of 
Argentina. On 5/4, the Paraguayan Attorney General's Office told PolOff 
that the accused remain in custody and are expected to be expelled from 
Argentina and turned over to the Paraguayan authorities at the border, 
avoiding the hassle of extradition.  Paraguayan authorities are still 
looking to apprehend three other individuals who have absconded upon 
release by GOP authorities. (NOTE: Prior to the arrest of the five in 
Argentina, the individuals had been under investigation in connection t 
the Cecilia Cubas kidnapping and murder but had been released from 
custody in Paraguay for lack of sufficient evidence. End Note) 
 
-------------------------------- 
19 Rescued from Brothel in Spain 
-------------------------------- 
 
¶4. (U) On 5/4, local press reported that 19 Paraguayan women were 
detained in Albacete, Spain during a police operation to close down 
local sex clubs on April 11.  During the investigation, Spanish 
authorities learned that the Paraguayan women were victims of forced 
prostitution.  Four other persons were detained in connection to the 
illegal immigration of some 800 women, the majority of whom were 
Paraguayan.  Spanish authorities learned of the women's plight after 2 
Paraguayan women escaped their captors and entered a police station in 
the City of Real, Spain.  Teresa Martinez told PolOff that information 
from Interpol regarding the victims and the traffickers is forthcoming. 
 It is not known at this point if the victims will be repatriated.  Pos 
will continue to monitor the developments in this case.  (NOTE: In the 
past, when victims of trafficking, especially those in Spain, are not 
repatriated to Paraguay, the GOP does not list them in their total 
number of victims. End Note.) 
 
------------------- 
Exploiting Children 
------------------- 
 
¶5. (U) On 4/28, PolOff met with Bernardo Puente, Representative of the 
International Labor Organization (ILO) in Paraguay, regarding the state 
of child labor and sexual exploitation of children.  Puente indicated 
that child labor is an established part of the economy of Paraguay and 
more than 322,000 children participate in various economic activities 
and an additional 687,000 do domestic work, mostly in rural areas.  In 
 
reference to sexual exploitation of children, Puente highlighted that 
there are more than 250 young girls working as prostitutes in Ciudad de 
Este and more than 3,500 that have been sexually exploited in some way. 
 He said the children range in age of 5 to 17 and that pedophiles prey 
on children with virtual impunity, often only having to pay a fine for 
their freedom. (NOTE: United Nations reports indicate that 2 out of 3 
sexual workers in Paraguay are minors and most of them begin between 12 
and 13 years old. Prostitution is legal in Paraguay for those 18 years 
and older. End 
Note.) 
 
----------------------------------- 
Taiwanese President Visits Paraguay 
----------------------------------- 
 
¶6. (U) On 5/4, Chen Shui-bian, President of Taiwan, arrived in Paraguay 
ahead of his official 3-day state visit.  Chen's visit to Paraguay is 
his second since May 2001 and is set to strengthen bilateral ties and 
promote global peace and prosperity.  The Government of Taiwan has 
provided hundreds of millions of dollars in assistance to Paraguay in 
recent years.  However, the opposition parties stated prior to Chen's 
visit that they will not participate in the Congressional session in 
protest against the GOP but not/not related to Taiwan. 
 
 
CASON