The United States Embassy in Paraguay announced via its Twitter account the meeting that took place this Thursday morning. Representatives for the United States Department of the Treasury met with the Secretariat for the Prevention of Money or Property Laundering (Seprelad) as part of the United States’ ongoing efforts to support Paraguayan institutions in the fight against corruption and impunity.

This meeting is part of a series of actions taken by the United States Government since late January this year, when the Department of Finance imposed sanctions against the former President of the Republic and current chairman of the National Republican Association (ANR), Horacio Cartes , and Vice President of Paraguay, Hugo Velázquez.

These financial sanctions were implemented under the Global Magnitsky program and affect all property and interests the two politicians own or control. The assets are blocked and reported to the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the United States Treasury (OFAC).

Under these sanctions, all transactions made by US citizens, or in or while transiting through US territory, involving Cartes and Velázquez property are prohibited. In addition, any contribution or provision of funds, goods or services for or for the benefit of these designated persons is limited, as well as the receipt of any contribution or provision of funds, goods or services from them.

It should be noted that last year, Cartes and Velázquez were declared highly corrupt by the United States, which resulted in them being banned from entering the country and prohibited from using their money in US territory.

bilateral trade

On the other hand, during a meeting held at the Ministry of Finance headquarters, a meeting was held between the Minister of Finance Oscar Llamosas and representatives of the British Government led by the British Ambassador to Paraguay, Ramin Navai, and the British Trade Commissioner for Latin America and the Caribbean, Jonathan Knott. Also present were the Deputy Minister of the Economy, Roberto Mernes, and the Director of Debt Policy, Ana Osorio.

During the meeting, Commissioner Jonathan Knott highlighted that the volume of business between Paraguay and the United Kingdom will be 77 million pounds sterling by the end of 2022, and stated the aim to increase this figure significantly in the coming years. Knott noted that the meeting was very positive and discussed existing joint projects and future collaboration opportunities. In addition, he expressed a desire to contribute to the vision of the nation of Paraguay and to strengthen ties between the two countries.

In this regard, it was agreed to work on strategic planning to facilitate commercial exchanges between British and Paraguayan companies, with particular emphasis on sectors such as green energy, infrastructure, agricultural technology and health, among others.

signing of the agreement

On the other hand, the signing of the minutes of receipt of funds for two important projects was held at the National Chancellery. The first is the “Construction of 862 housing solutions for indigenous peoples implemented through the National Fund for Social Housing (Fonavis)”, under the responsibility of the Ministry of Urbanism, Housing and Habitat (MUVH). The second project is the “Improving the quality of care in the Ministry of Public Health and Social Welfare” initiative, implemented by the Ministry of Public Health and Social Welfare (MSPyBS).

The ceremony was attended by Ambassador Raúl Silvero Silvagni, Undersecretary of State for Foreign Affairs, who was an honorary witness to the signing of the two documents. Present with him were the Minister of Public Health and Social Welfare, Julio César Borba, the Minister of Urbanism, Housing and Habitat, Carlos Pereira Olmedo, and the Ambassador of the Republic of China (Taiwan), José Chih-Cheng Han.

The project “Construction of 862 housing solutions for indigenous peoples implemented through the National Fund for Social Housing (FONAVIS)” has enabled the construction of more than five hundred houses in indigenous peoples in the western and eastern regions of the country. With this second disbursement, MUVH will be able to complete the work in progress and advance the construction of three hundred and forty-nine new housing units.

Regarding the initiative “Improving the quality of care for the establishment of the Ministry of Public Health and Social Welfare”, the expansion of the scope of the Niños de Acosta Ñu General Children’s Hospital, Prof. Hospital. and Itauguá National Hospital. The project includes the provision of inpatient and intensive care beds, as well as the modernization of the health center’s computer systems.

Both projects have the main objective of ensuring the access of a vulnerable sector of Paraguay’s population to quality health services and adequate housing. This initiative forms part of the Memorandum of Understanding on Bilateral Cooperation between the Government of the Republic of Paraguay and the Government of the Republic of China (Taiwan), which was signed on December 14, 2018 and approved by Law no. 6275/18.