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UNCLAS ASUNCION 000147 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR G-TIP, G-ACBLANK, INL, PRM, WHA/PPC AND WHA/BSC 
MDASCHBACH, AND USAID 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KTIP KCRM PHUM KWMN SMIG KFRD ASEC PREF ELAB
PGOV, PA 
SUBJECT: PARAGUAY:  NINTH ANNUAL TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS 
REPORT 
 
REF: 07 STATE 132759 
 
¶1.  (SBU) This cable responds to reftel questions regarding 
anti-trafficking in persons (TIP) efforts in Paraguay. 
 
¶2.  (SBU) THE COUNTRY'S TIP SITUATION 
 
¶A.  What are the sources of available information on 
trafficking in persons?  What plans are in place (if any) to 
undertake further documentation of human trafficking?  How 
reliable are these sources? 
 
Members of the government's Inter-Institutional Roundtable 
for the Prevention and Combat of Trafficking in Persons 
(hereafter referred to as the "Roundtable," including the 
Foreign Ministry, Public Ministry, Women's Secretariat 
(SMRP), Children's and Adolescents' Secretariat (SNNA), and 
Development Secretariat for the Repatriated and Co-National 
Refugees (SEDERREC), publish limited information on 
trafficking in persons, particularly on trafficking cases. 
The Roundtable publishes an annual compendium of its 
anti-trafficking efforts but does not provide further 
documentation. 
 
The International Labor Organization (ILO), International 
Organization for Migration (IOM), United Nations Children's 
Fund (UNICEF), and several NGOs have studied Paraguay's 
trafficking situation and published reports related to sexual 
exploitation and forced labor in Paraguay.  Information 
published by these organizations offers a general overview of 
Paraguay's trafficking problem but few statistics. 
Information on trafficking in Paraguay is generally reliable 
but imprecise. 
 
¶B.  Is Paraguay a country of origin, transit, and/or 
destination for internationally trafficked men, women, or 
children?  Does trafficking occur within its borders?  If so, 
does internal trafficking occur in territory outside of the 
government's control?  To where are people trafficked? For 
what purposes are they trafficked?  Provide, where possible, 
numbers or estimates for each group of trafficking victims. 
Have there been any changes in the TIP situation since the 
last TIP Report? 
 
Paraguay is a country of origin and transit for women and 
children who are internationally trafficked for sexual 
exploitation.  It is also a country of origin and transit for 
men, women and children who are internationally trafficked 
for purposes of domestic servitude and manual labor. 
Paraguay is not an international destination for 
internationally trafficked women and children, although the 
domestic trafficking of women and children for sexual 
exploitation and forced labor also occurs.  In one case 
opened in 2008 and currently under investigation, a 
Brazilian-Korean trafficking syndicate forced two Paraguayan 
women into arranged marriages with Korean men. 
 
Trafficking occurs within Paraguay's borders in territory 
controlled by the government.  Most victims are trafficked to 
Argentina (50 percent) and Spain (25 percent); smaller 
numbers of victims went to Brazil, Chile, Italy, and Bolivia. 
 Foz do Iguacu, Brazil and Argentine cities Buenos Aires, 
Cordoba, Corrientes, Entre Rios, Posadas, and Puerto Iguazu 
are major transit points and destinations for Paraguayan 
trafficking victims.  Most trafficking victims depart 
Paraguay via border crossings near Ciudad del Este, Asuncion, 
and Encarnacion.  This year prosecutors opened new cases 
investigating allegations that victims are being trafficked 
from Paraguay to Argentina via vessels navigating Paraguay's 
river system, and to Puerto Montt and Iquique, Chile via the 
border crossing at Pozo Hondo. 
 
Anecdotal evidence suggests that each year several thousand 
women, children, adolescents, and trans-gendered prostitutes 
(taxi boys) are trafficked internationally.  An estimated 80 
percent of victims are young women and adolescent girls. 
Most traffickers remain free and operate with impunity.  The 
NGO Center for Attention, Prevention, and Surveillance of 
Boys, Girls, and Adolescents (CEAPRA), which operates a 
children's shelter in Ciudad del Este, estimated in 2008 that 
up to 20 victims were trafficked each day to Brazil and 
 
Argentina via the Friendship Bridge in Ciudad del Este.  The 
Public Ministry estimated in February that up to ten victims 
are trafficked by river to Argentina with each voyage. 
 
With the discovery of new trafficking routes and 
destinations, the Paraguayan government is more cognizant of 
its trafficking in persons problem.  However, in general the 
TIP situation in Paraguay has not changed since the last 
report. 
 
¶C.  What kind of conditions are the victims trafficked into? 
 
Once victims arrive at their destination, they are typically 
forced to surrender their travel documents and are subjected 
to a severe beating that serves as a warning of what will 
come if they attempt to flee.  Afterward, they are sexually 
exploited in brothels or night clubs, or forced into domestic 
servitude in sweatshops or private residences. 
 
¶D.  Vulnerability to TIP: Are certain groups of persons more 
at risk of being trafficked? 
 
Paraguayan women, adolescent girls, and children are most at 
risk of being trafficked.  Most victims live in the rural 
eastern interior of the country, particularly in the 
departments of Alto Parana, Canindeyu, Caaguazu, and Itapua. 
Many street children are also trafficking victims.  Studies 
show that most victims worked as street vendors when 
traffickers targeted them and that 70 percent of victims had 
drug addictions. 
 
¶E.  Traffickers and Their Methods: Who are the traffickers / 
exploiters?  What methods are used to approach victims?  What 
methods are used to move the victims?  Are employment, 
travel, and tourism agencies or marriage brokers involved 
with or fronting for traffickers or crime groups to traffic 
individuals? 
 
Most traffickers are Paraguayan, Brazilian, and Argentine. 
Many work in large, organized criminal syndicates based in 
Argentina and Brazil with local contacts operating 
nationwide, particularly in Asuncion, Ciudad del Este, and 
Encarnacion. 
 
Traffickers include relatives or acquaintances of victims who 
are paid by syndicates to refer victims.  They typically make 
initial contact by offering false promises of educational 
opportunities and employment, including work in the service 
industry or as models. 
 
In some cases, parents are aware that their children plan to 
work in other cities or countries, but are unaware of the 
potentially exploitative conditions they will encounter. 
Some parents believe they are helping their children by 
giving them new opportunities to work and improving their 
overall living condition.  Other parents sell their children 
to traffickers for profit fully knowing the repercussions. 
 
Victims who accept these offers are referred to handlers, 
including some who double as travel agents, who facilitate 
travel and lodging, and issue false travel documents. 
Traffickers then transport victims domestically or 
internationally through unrecognized or lightly monitored 
border crossings. 
 
¶3.  (SBU) SETTING THE SCENE FOR THE GOVERNMENT'S ANTI-TIP 
EFFORTS 
 
¶A.  Does the government acknowledge that trafficking is a 
problem in the country? 
 
Yes. 
 
¶B.  Which government agencies are involved in 
anti-trafficking efforts and which agency, if any, has the 
lead? 
 
The Public Ministry is the lead agency in investigating and 
prosecuting traffickers.  The Attorney General's office of 
the Public Ministry established a Trafficking in Persons Unit 
in October 2008 with three prosecutors and six assistants 
 
dedicated to trafficking in persons.  These TIP prosecutors 
work with local prosecutors nationwide, particularly in 
Ciudad del Este and Encarnacion, to investigate and prosecute 
traffickers. 
 
The Foreign Ministry, Women's Secretariat (SMPR), Children's 
and Adolescents' Secretariat (SNNA), and Development 
Secretariat for the Repatriated and Co-National Refugees 
(SEDERREC) work closely with the Public Ministry to combat 
TIP.  The Interior Ministry, which oversees the National 
Police and Immigration, assists the Public Ministry with 
investigations and arrests.  The Interior Ministry announced 
January 9 the creation of an intra-agency workgroup on 
trafficking and other issues. 
 
The government coordinates anti-trafficking efforts through 
its Inter-Institutional Roundtable for the Prevention and 
Combat of Trafficking in Persons led by the Foreign Ministry. 
 The Roundtable meets monthly in Asuncion to coordinate 
anti-trafficking efforts.  The Roundtable's influence outside 
Asuncion was limited by its inability to coordinate with 
field offices around the country. 
 
Agencies participating in the Roundtable include the Foreign 
Ministry; Public Ministry; SMPR; SNNA; SEDERREC; Ministry of 
Education and Culture; Ministry of Industry and Commerce; 
National Tourism Secretariat; Social Action Secretariat; 
Directorate General of Statistics, Surveys, and Censuses; 
Directorate General of Migration; National Police, Interpol, 
and Crime Identification and Investigation; Itaipu Binational 
Authority; Public Defender's office; and the Municipality of 
Asuncion.  The government incorporated the military's Joint 
Peace Operation Training Center (CECOPAZ) into the Roundtable 
this year. 
 
International organizations that participate in the 
Roundtable include the IOM, ILO, Inter-American Development 
Bank (IDB), UNICEF, and the United Nations Population Fund 
(FNUAP).  Representatives from foreign missions, including 
the United States, European Union, Spain, Argentina, and 
Brazil, also participate as observers. 
 
NGOs that participate in the Roundtable include Amnesty 
International Paraguay; Aprevim Paraguay; BASE IS; Business 
Bureau of Consultants and Advisors (BECA); Paraguay Human 
Rights Coordinator (CODEHUPY); Children's and Adolescents' 
Rights (CDIA); Women's Forum of Mercosur; Center for Integral 
Assistance (CEDAI) Foundation; Arco Iris Foundation; 
Paraguayan Foundation of the Catholic Commission of 
International Migrations; Marco Aguayo Foundation for the 
Fight Against AIDS/HIV; Global Infancia; Grupo Luna Nueva; 
Institute of Comparative Social and Penal Science Studies 
(INECIP); and Soroptimist International. 
 
¶C.  What are the limitations on the government's ability to 
address this problem in practice?  For example, is funding 
for police or other institutions inadequate?  Is overall 
corruption a problem?  Does the government lack the resources 
to aid victims? 
 
The government's ability to address human trafficking in 
practice is limited by insufficient financial and technical 
resources, and a lack of political will in light of many 
competing demands for government resources.  The government 
focuses its efforts on prosecuting traffickers and providing 
victims' assistance. It devotes virtually no resources to 
locating trafficking victims or screening to identify 
potential victims. 
 
In areas where funding is available, government agencies 
involved in fighting TIP often have to make difficult 
choices.  Many officials do not have computers, adequate 
access to information, or lack official vehicles to transport 
victims.  Victims typically received limited government 
assistance. 
 
Further compounding the government's ability to address the 
problem are allegations of interagency rivalry, distrust 
among officials, and reported complicity in trafficking 
operations.  There are allegations that some government 
officials undermined investigations or alerted suspected 
 
traffickers of impending arrests. 
 
¶D.  To what extent does the government systematically monitor 
its anti-trafficking efforts and periodically make available, 
publicly or privately and directly or through 
regional/international organizations, its assessments of 
these anti-trafficking efforts? 
 
Although the government made some progress in monitoring 
anti-trafficking efforts, its ability to monitor trafficking 
in persons was limited by resource constraints.  The Foreign 
Ministry publishes an annual report each March summarizing 
its anti-trafficking accomplishments and a list of ongoing 
TIP projects.  The Public Ministry uses a nationwide TIP 
database to help manage trafficking cases. 
 
¶4.  (SBU) INVESTIGATION AND PROSECUTION OF TRAFFICKERS 
 
¶A.  Existing Laws against TIP:  Does the country have a law 
or laws specifically prohibiting trafficking in persons -- 
both for sexual exploitation and labor?  If so, please 
specifically cite the name of the law(s) and its date of 
enactment and provide the exact language of the TIP 
provisions.  Please provide a full inventory of trafficking 
laws, including non-criminal statutes that allow for civil 
penalties against alleged trafficking crimes. Does the law(s) 
cover both internal and transnational forms of trafficking? 
If not, under what other laws can traffickers be prosecuted? 
For example, are there laws against slavery or the 
exploitation of prostitution by means of force, fraud, or 
coercion?  Are these other laws being used in trafficking 
cases? 
 
Law 3440/08 "Modifying Various Articles of the Penal Code," 
which includes a provision ratifying a series of 
international conventions on trafficking in persons for 
sexual exploitation and labor, will go fully into effect on 
July 16.  Under Law 3440/08, Paraguay became a signatory to 
ILO Convention 182 concerning the elimination of the worst 
forms of child labor; ILO Conventions 29 and 105 on forced 
and compulsory labor; the optional protocol to the Convention 
on the Rights of the Child (CRC) on the sale of children, 
child prostitution, and child pornography; and the Protocol 
to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons. 
 
Law 3440/08's anti-trafficking in persons statute will take 
effect on July 16.  An unofficial English translation of the 
statute follows: 
 
BEGIN TRANSLATION. 
 
"Article 129b.-  Trafficking in persons for sexual 
exploitation. 
 
1 .- Whoever takes advantage of a situation of constraint or 
vulnerability of another found in a foreign country, induces 
or coerces him/her to participate in or to continue to 
participate in prostitution or bringing about other sexual 
acts, with another or in front of another, with purposes of 
sexual exploitation, shall be sentenced to deprivation of 
liberty for up to eight years.  The same penalty shall be 
applied to whoever induces a minor under eighteen years of 
age to participate in or continue to participate in 
prostitution or in the performance of acts indicated in 
paragraph 1. 
 
2 .- With a prison sentence of up to twelve years, the person 
will be punished who, by force, threat, deception or trickery: 
 
¶1. induces another to participate in or continue to 
participate in prostitution or sexual acts indicated in 
subsection 1, paragraph 2; 
 
¶2. detains another with intent to induce them to participate 
in prostitution or continue to act as a prostitute or commit 
sexual acts indicated in subsection 1, paragraph 2. 
 
3 .- The same penalty applies when the victim is: 
 
¶1. a person under fourteen, or 
 
¶2. is exposed, upon doing the act, to grave physical abuse or 
danger to his/her life. 
 
4 .- With the same penalty shall be punished he who acts 
commercially or belongs to a gang that was formed for the 
purpose of realizing acts indicated in the preceding 
paragraphs. In this case, Articles 57 and 94 will also be 
applied. 
The consent of a victim to any form of exploitation is not 
taken into account when using any of the means enunciated in 
this article. 
 
Art 129c .- Trafficking in persons for purposes of personal 
exploitation and labor. 
 
1 .- Whoever takes advantage of the constraint or 
vulnerability of another found in a foreign country, subjects 
another to slavery, servitude, forced labor or similar 
conditions, or makes someone do or continue to do work in 
conditions disproportionately inferior to other people who do 
identical or similar work, shall be sentenced to deprivation 
of liberty for up to eight years. The same penalty shall be 
applied to whoever subjects a minor less than eighteen years 
of age to slavery, servitude, forced labor or similar 
conditions, or to the performance or continuation of work 
indicated in paragraph 1. 
 
2 .- With a prison sentence of up to twelve years, the person 
will be punished who, by force, threat, deception or trickery: 
 
¶1. subjects another to slavery, servitude, forced labor or 
similar conditions, or attempts to make someone do or 
continue to do work indicated in subsection 1, paragraph 1; 
 
¶2. detains another with the intention to subject them to 
slavery, servitude, forced labor or similar conditions, or 
attempts to make them do or continue to do work indicated in 
subsection 1, paragraph 1; 
 
¶3. detains another with intent of facilitating the extraction 
his organs without consent. 
 
 
3 .- The provisions in article 129b, paragraph 3 and 4, also 
apply. 
 
The consent of a victim to any form of exploitation will not 
be taken into account when using any of the means enunciated 
in this article." 
 
END TRANSLATION. 
 
Until the new law goes into effect in July 2009, the 1997 
Penal Code Law (1160/97) remains in effect.  The TIP statute 
of Law 1160/97 prohibits trafficking in persons for sexual 
exploitation and labor.  It contains several articles that 
address trafficking in persons and associated violations, 
including:  Article 129 Trafficking in Persons; Article 246 
Production of Illegal Documents; Article 25 Production of 
Government Documents with False Information; Article 185 
Extortion; Article 25 - which prohibited the forced 
extraction of a person from Paraguayan territory; Article 24 
Deprivation of Freedom; Articles 20 and 121 Coercion and 
Grace Coercion; Article 22 Threats; and Article 135 Child 
Sexual Abuse.  These articles are not properly enforced. 
 
Laws for domestic trafficking do not exist; however, 
prosecutors have used other laws to investigate and prosecute 
trafficking.  The 2001 Children and Adolescents Law (1680/01) 
includes provisions that could be used in the prosecution 
against traffickers, including:  Article 25 Children's rights 
Against Exploitation and Article 31 - which prohibited the 
use of children in commercial sexual activities.  The 1997 
Adoptions Law protects the rights of children against 
violence and exploitation.  The 2000 Domestic Violence Law 
(1600/00) protects women and children from physical violence 
and violence associated with trafficking in persons. 
 
¶B.  Punishment of Sex Trafficking Offenses:  What are the 
prescribed and imposed penalties for trafficking people for 
sexual exploitation? 
 
 
The 1997 Penal Code's anti-trafficking statute in effect 
until July 15 prescribes up to eight years' imprisonment for 
international trafficking for the purpose of prostitution, 
sexual exploitation, intent to commit personal sexual acts, 
slavery, forced servitude, or subjecting victims to inferior 
working conditions. 
 
The revised Penal Code, Law 3440/08, which goes into effect 
on July 16, punishes offenders with imprisonment of up to 
eight years for taking advantage of another person who is 
vulnerable, or compelling the victim to practice prostitution 
or engage in sexual acts for the purposes of sexual 
exploitation.  The same penalty applies to those whom aid and 
abet a person who compels a person under 18 years of age to 
practice activities related to sexual exploitation.  The 
revised statute also punishes offenders for up to twelve 
years should the crime be considered an aggravated offense. 
The statute also explicitly provides penalties of up to 
twelve years when a trafficking victim is under fourteen 
years of age, or is exposed to serious injury or whose life 
is in danger.  It includes a provision for offenders 
committing trafficking offenses through gang involvement or 
commercial activities. 
 
Laws used to prosecute domestic traffickers, including the 
2001 Children and Adolescents Law, 1997 Adoptions Law, and 
2000 Domestic Violence Law, sentences traffickers up to five 
years in prison for exploiting victims under eighteen years 
of age, and to five years for labor exploitation. 
 
¶C.  Punishment of Labor Trafficking Offenses:  What are the 
prescribed and imposed penalties for trafficking for labor 
exploitation, such as forced or bonded labor? 
 
The revised Penal Code punishes offenders with up to eight 
years' imprisonment for enslaving an individual or forcing 
anyone into servitude.  The penalty is the same when the 
victim is a minor.  The penalty increases to twelve years in 
prison when the offender commits the crime in an aggravated 
manner.  The law does not specifically penalize recruiters 
who engage in recruitment of workers using knowingly 
fraudulent or deceptive offers with the purpose of subjecting 
workers to trafficking. 
 
¶D.  What are the prescribed penalties for rape or forcible 
sexual assault? 
 
The law criminalizes rape, including spousal rape, and 
provides penalties of up to 10 years in prison for rape or 
forcible sexual assault. If the victim is a minor under the 
age of 18, sentences range from three to 15 years.  The 
government generally prosecutes rape allegations and often 
obtains convictions; however, many rapes went unreported, and 
the police are generally reluctant to act on rape reports. 
 
¶E.  Law Enforcement Statistics:  Did the government prosecute 
any cases against human trafficking offenders during the 
reporting period?  If so, provide numbers of investigations, 
prosecutions, convictions, and sentences imposed, including 
details on plea bargains and fines.  Please note the number 
of convicted traffickers who received suspended sentences and 
the number who received only a fine as punishment. Please 
indicate which laws were used to investigate, prosecute, 
convict, and sentence traffickers.  Also, if possible, please 
disaggregate numbers of cases by type of TIP (labor vs. 
commercial sexual exploitation) and victims (children vs. 
adults).  What were the actual punishments imposed on persons 
convicted of these offenses?  Are the traffickers serving the 
time sentenced?  If not, why not? 
 
During the reporting period, the Public Ministry investigated 
46 TIP cases; indicted 11 suspected traffickers and 
associates involved in trafficking 19 victims, including six 
minors; and earned convictions in two cases against four 
traffickers who received six years in prison.  In addition to 
the four traffickers convicted during the reporting period, 
another 23 traffickers and 16 associates are currently in 
prison serving sentences for trafficking-related offenses. 
Of the 62 victims involved in trafficking cases opened this 
year, 54 were trafficked for purposes of sexual exploitation, 
 
six for forced labor, and two for arranged marriages. 
 
Paraguay's lead TIP prosecutor, Teresa Martinez, told PolOff 
February 10 that in November 2008 a Brazilian-South Korean 
marriage broker syndicate reportedly trafficked two 
Paraguayan sisters to Korea via Sao Paulo, and forced them 
into arranged marriages with Korean men. The women escaped 
and filed complaints with prosecutors in 2008; the case 
remains under investigation. 
 
Martinez stated that prosecutors opened a case in January to 
investigate allegations that four boys and two girls had been 
trafficked to Japan for purposes of labor exploitation. 
 
Martinez stated that two Paraguayan women trafficked to Chile 
by a Chilean trafficking syndicate for purposes of sexual 
exploitation filed complaints with Chilean authorities in May 
¶2008.  Although one of the victims withdrew her complaint, 
prosecutors identified nine potential victims of the Chilean 
trafficking syndicate.  Paraguayan prosecutors convicted one 
trafficker in the case; three Chileans are under 
investigation by Chilean authorities. 
 
A 15-year old trafficking victim who escaped from a brothel 
in Buenos Aires in March 2008 fled to Ciudad del Este, where 
she filed a complaint with prosecutors.  Based on her 
complaint, Argentine and Paraguayan authorities rescued 25 
women from the brothel.  Charges remained pending against the 
traffickers. 
 
¶F.  Does the government provide any specialized training for 
government officials in how to recognize, investigate, and 
prosecute instances of trafficking? Specify whether NGOs, 
international organizations, and/or the USG provide 
specialized training for host government officials. 
 
The Roundtable provides government officials with training on 
TIP via two seminars during the reporting period.  Following 
the military's Joint Peace Operation Training Center 
(CECOPAZ) admission into the Roundtable, CECOPAZ officials 
attended an anti-trafficking seminar in Buenos Aires in 2008. 
 In addition, the Roundtable and OAS co-hosted in July 2008 
an anti-trafficking seminar for TIP officials in Asuncion. 
During the reporting period, six prosecutors and police 
officials attended anti-TIP seminars at the International Law 
Enforcement Academy in Lima, Peru. 
 
Police officers and prosecutors use basic, reactive 
investigative techniques; they do not use advanced 
investigative techniques such as electronic surveillance and 
undercover operations.  There are no laws that permit the 
police to engage in covert operations to combat TIP. 
 
¶G.  Does the government cooperate with other governments in 
the investigation and prosecution of trafficking cases?  If 
possible, provide the number of cooperative international 
investigations on trafficking during the reporting period. 
 
The government cooperates with other governments and Interpol 
in the investigation and prosecution of trafficking cases. 
Government officials from the Foreign Ministry (including 
Paraguayan embassies and consulates), Public Ministry, 
National Police and SEDERREC cooperated during the reporting 
period with Argentine, Brazilian, Spanish, and Chilean 
authorities to investigate trafficking cases and repatriate 
victims. 
 
Spanish National Police arrested four men, including one 
Paraguayan and three Spaniards, in Pamplona, Spain February 
20 for forcing six Paraguayan women into prostitution.  The 
suspects recruited the women aged between 19 and 22 in 
Paraguay by offering them work in Spain.  They facilitated 
their arrival through a travel agency, and levied the victims 
with a 6,000 euro debt payable through providing 
round-the-clock sexual services.  TIP prosecutors remain in 
frequent touch with Spanish authorities on trafficking cases. 
 
¶H.  Does the government extradite persons who are charged 
with trafficking in other countries?  If so, please provide 
the number of traffickers extradited during the reporting 
period, and the number of trafficking extraditions pending. 
 
In particular, please report on any pending or concluded 
extraditions of trafficking offenders to the United States. 
 
The government extradites persons who are charged with 
trafficking in other countries if it has extradition treaties 
with those countries.  Paraguay has a multi-lateral 
extradition treaty with Mercosur countries and bi-lateral 
extradition treaties with the United States, Argentina, 
Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Peru, Uruguay, 
and Venezuela.  The law allows Paraguayans and foreign 
nationals who were charged with trafficking in other 
countries to be extradited.  However, the government did not 
extradite any traffickers during the reporting period. 
 
¶I.  Is there evidence of government involvement in or 
tolerance of trafficking, on a local or institutional level? 
 
There were reports by members of the anti-TIP community that 
public officials, including political figures, border guards, 
police, prosecutors, judges, or other officials, participated 
in, facilitated, or condoned human trafficking.  There were 
reports that officials accepted bribes directly or indirectly 
to facilitate trafficking in persons and to release victims 
from incarceration. 
 
¶J.  If government officials are involved in trafficking, what 
steps has the government taken to end such participation? 
Please indicate the number of government officials 
investigated and prosecuted for involvement in trafficking or 
trafficking-related corruption during the reporting period. 
Have any been convicted?  What sentence(s) was imposed? 
Please specify if officials received suspended sentences, or 
were given a fine, fired, or reassigned to another position 
within the government as punishment.  Please indicate the 
number of convicted officials that received suspended 
sentences or received only a fine as punishment. 
 
Despite reports of involvement by government officials in 
trafficking in persons, the Public Ministry did not 
investigate these allegations, and no government officials 
resigned or were removed over allegations of trafficking.  A 
lack of resources and political will hindered prosecutors' 
ability to prosecute government officials for trafficking. 
 
¶K.  Is prostitution legalized or decriminalized? 
Specifically, are the activities of the prostitute 
criminalized?  Are the activities of the brothel 
owner/operator, clients, pimps, and enforcers criminalized? 
Are these laws enforced?  If prostitution is legal and 
regulated, what is the legal minimum age for this activity? 
 
Although the law prohibits minors under the age of 18 from 
engaging in prostitution and prohibits the sexual 
exploitation of women, it does not outlaw prostitution over 
the age of 18.  The law does not prohibit pimping, owning or 
operating brothels, or frequenting prostitutes.  However, 
government officials occasionally cracked down on 
prostitution activities, including street- and brothel-based 
prostitution, citing alternative legal bases such as improper 
business registration to justify crackdowns.  Some brothels 
are owned by politicians, including members of Congress. 
Some members of the anti-trafficking community alleged that 
police and prosecutors asserted influence over the local 
prostitution trade for purposes of kickbacks. 
 
¶L.  Government investigation of troops involved in 
international peacekeeping efforts: 
 
The military's Joint Peace Operation Training Center 
(CECOPAZ) supports the United Nations' global peacekeeping 
operations with peacekeepers.  The Paraguayan military 
deployed a platoon of 31 peacekeepers to Haiti under 
MINUSTAH, a squad of 17 peacekeepers to D.R. Congo, 11 to 
Sudan, 10 to Cote d'Ivoire, and a total of 13 peacekeepers to 
Afghanistan, Liberia, Nepal, and Western Sahara.  The 
military is now preparing a 136-member engineering company to 
conduct peacekeeping missions under its own flag, and plans 
to deploy this unit by the end of the year.  The military 
conducted police and military background checks on all 
soldiers before allowing them to join the unit, and some 
CECOPAZ members attended anti-trafficking training in Buenos 
 
Aires last year.  The Paraguayan government did not have any 
incidents of Paraguayans deployed abroad requiring 
investigation, prosecution, conviction, or sentencing for 
trafficking-related offenses. 
 
¶M.  If the country has an identified problem of child sex 
tourists coming to the country, what are the countries of 
origin for sex tourists?  How many foreign pedophiles did the 
government prosecute or deport/extradite to their country of 
origin? 
 
Although there is no identified industry devoted to child sex 
tourism in Paraguay, child sex tourism does occur, and 
Paraguay has several locations where foreign pedophiles are 
known to frequent, particularly in Ciudad del Este.   The 
government did not prosecute, deport, or extradite any 
foreign pedophiles during the reporting period. 
 
¶5.  (SBU) PROTECTION AND ASSISTANCE TO VICTIMS 
 
¶A.  What kind of protection is the government able under 
existing law to provide for victims and witnesses? Does it 
provide these protections in practice? 
 
The government provides limited protection, including some 
security safeguards, to victims who live in shelters or are 
assigned to foster parents.  The government also provides 
shelter, meals, and transportation to some victims on a 
short-term basis.  Because resources are limited, the 
government can only assist up to approximately 100 
trafficking victims at a time and only for a limited time. 
Roundtable members Development Secretariat for the 
Repatriated and Co-National Refugees (SEDERREC), Women's 
Secretariat (SMPR), Children's and Adolescents' Secretariat 
(SNNA) also help repatriate victims to their families; SNNA 
placed some child and adolescent victims in foster homes. 
The government does not typically follow up with victims once 
they are returned to their families, and does not provide 
protections to witnesses. 
 
¶B.  Does the country have victim care facilities (shelters or 
drop-in centers) which are accessible to trafficking victims? 
 Do foreign victims have the same access to care as domestic 
trafficking victims?  Where are child victims placed (e.g., 
in shelters, foster care, or juvenile justice detention 
centers)?  Does the country have specialized care for adults 
in addition to children?  What is the funding source of these 
facilities? 
 
The country has some government-supported victim care 
facilities, including two shelters and three assistance 
centers for women, adolescents, and children who are victims 
of TIP.  These include a USG-supported shelter run by the 
Women's Secretariat in Asuncion for up to 18 women who are 
trafficking victims; a shelter and assistance center for 
children in Ciudad del Este run by the NGO Center for 
Attention, Prevention, and Surveillance of Boys, Girls, and 
Adolescents (CEAPRA) and supported by the Children's and 
Adolescents' Secretariat; an assistance center at the Women's 
Secretariat in Asuncion; and an assistance center in Asuncion 
run by the NGO Kuna Aty with support from the Women's 
Secretariat.  The country does not have victim care 
facilities for men, and the government usually places boys 
with their families or in foster homes.  Foreign victims 
generally do not have the same access to government-operated 
shelters as domestic victims. 
 
International organizations and NGOs work with Roundtable 
members and local Municipal Councils for Children's Rights 
(CODENI) in several cities to place trafficking victims with 
their families, in shelters, and in foster care.  NGOs 
independently operate shelters and assistance centers for 
victims in Asuncion, Encarnacion, and Villarrica.  The NGO 
Grupo Luna Nueva runs a shelter in Asuncion exclusively for 
domestic child and adolescent trafficking victims. The Red 
Cross, Paraguayan Network for Human Development (REPADEH), 
Dequeni Foundation, and Catholic charities run shelters and 
assistance centers for children and adolescents in Asuncion; 
a Catholic charity runs a shelter for children and 
adolescents in Encarnacion; the NGOs Women's November 25 
Collective, CECTEK, and Kuna Roga operate assistance centers 
 
for women, children and adolescents in Encarnacion; and the 
Integral Attention Service for Adolescents (SAIA) has a 
children's and adolescents' assistance center in Villarrica. 
 
The Paraguayan government provides some funding to support 
victim care, particularly shelters.  However, Post estimates 
that the government spends less than USD 50,000 annually to 
combat TIP, relying heavily on international assistance.  In 
addition to the USG's ongoing support for the SMPR's Asuncion 
shelter, the Paraguayan government received funding during 
the reporting period from the United Nations Development 
Programme, UNICEF, Inter-American Development Bank, IOM, ILO, 
and the Spanish government to support various 
anti-trafficking initiatives.  However, this amount was 
inadequate to support the government's efforts. 
 
¶C.  Does the government provide trafficking victims with 
access to legal, medical and psychological services?  Does 
the government provide funding or other forms of support to 
foreign or domestic NGOs and/or international organizations 
for providing these services to trafficking victims? 
 
The government provides trafficking victims with limited 
medical, psychological, and legal services to women in the 
Asuncion TIP victims' shelter.  The government also supports 
NGOs CEAPRA's and Kuny Aty's efforts to provide medical, 
psychological, and legal services to victims who live in 
their shelters.  Refer also to response in 5.B. 
 
¶D.  Does the government assist foreign trafficking victims, 
for example, by providing temporary to permanent residency 
status, or other relief from deportation?  If so, please 
explain. 
 
The government provides limited assistance to foreign 
trafficking victims, notably Bolivians trafficked 
internationally through Paraguay.  However, the government 
concentrates its efforts on aiding Paraguayans who are 
victims of international trafficking.  The government 
provides temporary or permanent residency status on a 
case-by-case basis. 
 
¶E. Does the government provide longer-term shelter or housing 
benefits to victims or other resources to aid the victims in 
rebuilding their lives? 
 
No. 
 
¶F.  Does the government have a referral process to transfer 
victims detained, arrested or placed in protective custody by 
law enforcement authorities to institutions that provide 
short- or long-term care (either government or NGO-run)? 
 
SEDERREC, SNNA, and SMPR refer victims to institutions that 
provide short-term care but lacked the capability to provide 
long-term care. 
 
¶G.  What is the total number of trafficking victims 
identified during the reporting period?  Of these, how many 
victims were referred to care facilities for assistance by 
law enforcement authorities during the reporting period?  By 
social services officials?  What is the number of victims 
assisted by government-funded assistance programs and those 
not funded by the government during the reporting period? 
 
Prosecutors identified 62 trafficking victims, including 20 
children, and the Roundtable referred 46 victims to care 
facilities for assistance during the reporting period.  Of 
these 62, the government rescued 25 victims who had been 
trafficked internationally.  Based on prosecutors' referrals, 
the Roundtable assigned victims to member agencies for 
follow-up assistance based on age and gender. 
 
¶H.  Do the government's law enforcement, immigration, and 
social services personnel have a formal system of proactively 
identifying victims of trafficking among high-risk persons 
with whom they come in contact?  For countries with legalized 
prostitution, does the government have a mechanism for 
screening for trafficking victims among persons involved in 
the legal/regulated commercial sex trade? 
 
The government does not have a formal system of proactively 
identifying trafficking victims.  The government does not 
have a mechanism for screening trafficking victims among 
persons involved in the legal/regulated commercial sex trade. 
 Immigration and customs officials at ports of entry, 
particularly at land border crossings, are neither equipped 
with appropriate tools nor trained in techniques to identify 
traffickers or victims.  Most land-based ports of entry are 
patrolled by fewer than four police officers or immigration 
and customs officials who frequently allowed traffic to pass 
through borders without conducting identification and 
document checks.  The Paraguayan government relies heavily on 
Argentine and Brazilian immigrations and customs officials to 
monitor international border crossings, although they too 
have been ineffective in identifying and stopping human 
traffickers and their victims. 
 
¶I.  Are the rights of victims respected?  Are trafficking 
victims detained or jailed?   If so, for how long?  Are 
victims fined?  Are victims prosecuted for violations of 
other laws, such as those governing immigration or 
prostitution? 
 
Although the rights of victims are respected in most cases, 
abuses occurred.  Anti-trafficking crusader Cynthia Bendlin, 
winner of the 2008 Secretary's International Women of Courage 
Award and advisor to Interior Minister Rafael Filizzola, told 
PolOff that police investigators detained one victim in 2008 
for several days for refusing to cooperate with the 
investigation of her case.  In general, the government does 
not prosecute victims for violating laws. 
 
¶J.  Does the government encourage victims to assist in the 
investigation and prosecution of trafficking?  How many 
victims assisted in the investigation and prosecution of 
traffickers during the reporting period? May victims file 
civil suits or seek legal action against traffickers?  Does 
anyone impede victim access to such legal redress?  If a 
victim is a material witness in a court case against a former 
employer, is the victim permitted to obtain other employment 
or to leave the country pending trial proceedings?  Are there 
means by which a victim may obtain restitution? 
 
The government encourages victims to file complaints against 
traffickers, and assists in the investigation and prosecution 
of traffickers.  Many victims cooperate by filing complaints 
to open investigations.  However, victims avoid participating 
in the legal process, including acting as witnesses for fear 
of potential retaliation by traffickers and social stigma. 
Victims may file civil law suits or seek legal action against 
traffickers, and if the victim is a witness, they may seek 
other employment or leave the country. 
 
¶K.  Does the government provide any specialized training for 
government officials in identifying trafficking victims and 
in the provision of assistance to trafficked victims, 
including the special needs of trafficked children?  Does the 
government provide training on protections and assistance to 
its embassies and consulates in foreign countries that are 
destination or transit countries?   What is the number of 
trafficking victims assisted by the host country's embassies 
or consulates abroad during the reporting period? 
 
The government generally does not provide specialized 
training for officials in identifying trafficking victims. 
However, the government's human trafficking intervention 
manual provides written guidance on identifying and assisting 
trafficking victims. 
 
¶L.  Does the government provide assistance, such as medical 
aid, shelter, or financial help, to its nationals who are 
repatriated as victims of trafficking? 
 
SEDERREC repatriates trafficking victims from abroad and 
provides them with limited legal, medical and psychological 
assistance (see also 5.B).  The agency attempts to place 
repatriated victims with their families.  When unsuccessful, 
the agency refers child and adolescent victims to shelters or 
foster homes and women to the Asuncion women's shelter for 
trafficking victims. 
 
¶M.  Which international organizations or NGOs, if any, work 
with trafficking victims?  What type of services do they 
provide?  What sort of cooperation do they receive from local 
authorities? 
 
International organizations and NGOs work with trafficking 
victims through the Roundtable and independently.  They 
provide a wide range of services, including repatriation 
assistance, shelter, victims assistance (including medical, 
financial, and legal assistance), and education.  No 
international organization or NGO offers a comprehensive 
program to assist trafficking victims, and all receive 
cooperation from local authorities.  Refer to response 5.B 
for a list of international organizations and NGOs that work 
with trafficking victims. 
 
¶6.  (SBU) PREVENTION 
 
¶A.  Did the government conduct anti-trafficking information 
or education campaigns during the reporting period?  If so, 
briefly describe the campaign(s), including their objectives 
and effectiveness.  Please provide the number of people 
reached by such awareness efforts, if available.  Do these 
campaigns target potential trafficking victims and/or the 
demand for trafficking? 
 
The government did not conduct an anti-trafficking 
information or education campaign during the reporting 
period.  However, the Roundtable conducted an 
anti-trafficking seminar in Greater Asuncion during the 
reporting period to increase government officials' general 
knowledge of trafficking in persons (see also 4.F). 
Approximately 100 officials attended this training.  The SMPR 
sponsors programs focused on supporting education and job 
training for women and adolescent girls.  The SNNA sponsors 
programs to combat child and adolescent labor, including 
programs to protect children and adolescents from forced 
labor.  The government also works with international 
organizations such as IOM, ILO, and UNICEF to publish reports 
on trafficking and labor abuses in Paraguay. 
 
¶B.  Does the government monitor immigration and emigration 
patterns for evidence of trafficking?  Do law enforcement 
agencies screen for potential trafficking victims along 
borders? 
 
Refer to response in 5.H. 
 
¶C.  Is there a mechanism for coordination and communication 
between various agencies, internal, international, and 
multilateral on trafficking-related matters, such as a 
multi-agency working group or a task force? 
 
Refer to response in 3.B. 
 
¶D.  Does the government have a national plan of action to 
address trafficking in persons?  If the plan was developed 
during the reporting period, which agencies were involved in 
developing it?  Were NGOs consulted in the process?  What 
steps has the government taken to implement the action plan? 
 
SNNA has a national plan to address trafficking in children 
through the National Commission for the Prevention and 
Eradication of Childhood Labor and the Protection of 
Adolescent Labor (CONAETI).  SMPR also has a national plan to 
address women's issues.  However, no comprehensive national 
plan exists to address TIP.  The Foreign Ministry publishes 
an annual compendium that includes the laws, legal codes, 
decrees, and resolutions related to trafficking that serves 
as a guideline for the Roundtable.  As members of the 
Roundtable, NGOs play a key role in advising the government 
on its anti-trafficking efforts. 
 
¶E.  What measures has the government taken during the 
reporting period to reduce the demand for commercial sex acts? 
 
The government did not take noticeable measures during the 
reporting period to reduce demand for commercial sex acts. 
Instead, the government focused its attention on victim's 
assistance and prosecuting traffickers. 
 
¶F.  What measures has the government taken during the 
reporting period to reduce the participation in international 
child sex tourism by nationals of the country? 
 
The government provided anti-trafficking training to its 
global peacekeepers to discourage them from participating in 
international child sex tourism (see 3.B and 4.F).  However, 
in general, the government has not taken steps to reduce the 
participation of Paraguayan nationals in international child 
sex tourism. 
 
Please visit us at     http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/wha/asuncion 
 
AYALDE