The governments of Brazil and Paraguay have signed an agreement which will see the neighboring nations co-operate more closely to combat organized crime.
Brazilian Foreign Minister Antonio Patriota and his Paraguayan counterpart, Jorge Lara Castro, signed a number of bilateral agreements yesterday at the first day of a Mercosur summit held in the Paraguayan capital, Asuncion.
The two countries agreed to improve their methods of exchanging information, and committed to share and co-ordinate research and technology related to drug trafficking.
The agreement also focuses on improving "public safety," with the two countries committing to coordinating their efforts on preventing drug abuse and dealing with crimes connected to drug trade.
The ministers also reached an agreement to co-operate on a project to strengthen local government transparency in Paraguay.
Brazil and Paraguay have a mutual interest in tackling drug trafficking. It is estimated that 80 percent of the marijuana produced in Paraguay, one of the world’s biggest producers of the drug, ends up in Brazil.
As InSight Crime has previously reported, there have been recent evidence that that Paraguay is becoming an outpost for Brazilian drug trafficking organizations. Five alleged members of Brazilian gang Red Command (Comando Vermelho) were captured in Paraguay in April.
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