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PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHAC #1085/01 3001835
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 271835Z OCT 06
FM AMEMBASSY ASUNCION
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 4947
INFO RUCNMER/MERCOSUR COLLECTIVE
RUMIAAA/USCINCSO MIAMI FL//SCJ3/SCJ33/SCJ34/SOCSO LNO//
RHEHNSC/WHITE HOUSE NSC WASHDC
RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHDC
RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHDC
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC

UNCLAS ASUNCION 001085 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR WHA/BSC, INL/LP (JIM HIDES), 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 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PHUM PGOV PREL ECON AID PA
SUBJECT: PARAGUAY POLITICAL AND ECONOMIC UPDATE, OCTOBER 21 
- 27, 2006 
 
 
¶1. SUMMARY: 
 
-- UN Debate on Development and Human Rights 
-- Global Infancia Holds Forum on Child Pornography 
-- Vote Count: A Long Night Ahead 
-- Export Potential 
-- Safety Awareness 
-- Cutting-Edge Code of Ethics 
 
UN DEBATE ON HUMAN RIGHTS 
 
¶2. (U) The United Nations Office in Paraguay held a debate 
October 24 at the National University in Asuncion (UNA).  The 
panel-debate entitled, "Development, Security and Human 
Rights for Everyone," garnered more than 200 students, 
faculty and NGO representatives.  Much of the lively 
discussion centered around how to speed up development, 
increase job creation and protect basic human rights.  The 
leading panelists included Henry Jackelen, Resident 
Coordinator of the UN; Dr. Rodolfo Matarrollo, Deputy 
Secretary of Promotion and Protection of Human Rights in the 
 
SIPDIS 
Argentine Secretariat of Human Rights, and two Paraguayan 
activists/professors. 
 
GLOBAL INFANCIA FORUM ON CHILD PORNOGRAPHY 
 
¶3. (U) Global Infancia, an international NGO, held a forum 
discussion entitled "The Prevention and Erradication of Child 
Pornography" October 25 at the Catholic University of 
Asuncion.  Lourdes Barboza, former Secretariat of Children 
and Adolescents Minister, and Dr. Teresa Martinez, Director 
of the Trafficking in Persons, and Women and Children's 
Issues Office in the Attorney General's Office, led the 
discussion and answered questions regarding the Child 
Pornography law, which took effect in January 2006.  PolOff 
queried the panelists about statistics on victims of child 
pornography but none are available.  Martinez indicated, 
however, that there are currently 5 child pornography cases 
in judicial preceedings (NOTE: Each case involves between 10 
and 30 children. END NOTE).  Post will monitor the progress 
of those cases. 
 
VOTE COUNT: A LONG NIGHT AHEAD 
 
¶4. (U) Paraguay's Elections Tribunal (TSJE) announced October 
18 their methods for registering and tallying votes for 
November's municipal elections, (which are widely seen as a 
mid-term plebisite on the Durate administration). The TSJE 
Public Affairs Director, Liliana Benitez, told PolOff October 
17 that the TSJE would be using both paper ballots and 
electronic ballots.  Some Departments will be split 50 
percent to 50 percent using both methods, while some 
jurisdictions will either rely 100 percent on electronic 
balloting or 100 percent on paper ballots.  PolOff acquired a 
document October 20 outlining the distribution: 14 of 
Paraguay's 17 Departments will use both 50-50, while only 3 
(the least populated) will be 100 percent electronic 
balloting.  (COMMENT: November 19 is shaping up to be a long 
night of vote counting.  In the two most recent (all 
electronic) internal party elections in 2006 the votes were 
counted and authenticated on election day.  Benitez was 
pessimistic about the TSJE being able to rapidly count and 
authenticate this election, however, with work likely 
continuing into the early hours of the next day. END COMMENT). 
 
EXPORT POTENTIAL 
 
¶5. (U) The Ambassador and the USAID Director visited October 
24-25 several USAID-assisted businesses in the Departments of 
Caaguazu and Guaira, including firms that produce sesame, 
ethanol, and high-quality hand-crafted clothing and linens 
(A'o poi).  Paraguay's exports of sesame now represent 44 
percent of Japan's market, with good potential to expand 
exports to other countries with demand, including the U.S.  A 
clean fuel ethanol company has increased sales by more than 
20 percent thanks to USAID assistance creating more jobs and 
increasing income for sugar cane workers who supply the 
 
company.  USAID has also assisted the A'o poi industry, 
perhaps best known for shirts that breathe (and some might 
say look) better than the famous Guayaberas.   A'o poi 
benefits thousands of people, including many women who are 
skilled in its unique art of embroidery. 
 
SAFETY AWARENESS 
 
¶6. (U) This week USAID and the Office of Foreign Disaster 
Assistance (OFDA) signed an agreement with the Paraguayan 
Ministries of Education, and National Emergencies to provide 
increased safety awareness at schools throughout the country. 
 Under the agreement USAID/OFDA will provide technical 
assistance, training, and some logistical support for the 
training of 2000 school teachers nationwide.  Paraguay's 
interest in building safety and emergency responsiveness 
peaked in 2004 when a tragic fire at an Asuncion resulted in 
the death of more than 400 who were senselessly trapped 
inside the complex.  The criminal trial of the owners of the 
supermarket is ongoing.  Widespread coverage was given this 
week to the U.S. ATF's forensic determination that many fire 
exit doors had been padlocked shut. 
 
CUTTING-EDGE CODE OF ETHICS 
 
¶7. (U) Argentine Justice Rodolfo Vigo, the General Secretary 
of the Ibero-American Commission for Ethics in Justice, 
recently hailed the Paraguayan Judicial Code of Ethics as the 
most advanced in Ibero-America.  Justice Vigo supported his 
statement by mentioning that the Paraguayan Judicial Code of 
Ethics is unique because of its implementation mechanism (a 
fully staffed and trained Ethics Office) and sanctioning 
bodies (Tribunal and Council) independent from the Supreme 
Court justices.  The Paraguayan Code is now being used as a 
model around the region, with both Justice Vigo and the 
Director of the Code of Ethics in Paraguay crediting USAID 
support for this achievement. 
CASON