Judge admits accusation against Giuzzio and sets hearing for the imposition of measures

• Middle Nation Investigation Unit

The Public Ministry of Brazil sent to the Paraguayan Prosecutor the extracts of conversations between the alleged drug trafficker captured in the Turf operation Marcus Vinicius Espíndola Marqués de Padua and Arnaldo Giuzzio, former minister of the National Anti-Drug Secretariat (Senad) and the Ministry of the Interior. In this way it is clear that the former leader of the fight against drug trafficking of the government of Mario Abdo Benítez was closely linked to a suspected member of an international drug trafficking organization.

Brazil reveals connection between drug trafficker and former minister Arnaldo Giuzzio

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After the arrest of the alleged Brazilian drug trafficker in the city of Foz de Yguazú, Brazil, the authorities of the neighboring country accessed the defendant’s cell phone and, after an expert report, found the messages that he exchanged with the former minister. Contacts between the two began in July 2021, according to the documents.

After analyzing the evidence, prosecutors Alicia Sapriza and Osmar Legar, from the Unit against Organized Crime, filed charges against Arnaldo Giuzzio for the alleged punishable act of aggravated passive bribery as perpetrator.

The conversations, meetings and exchange of favors between the alleged drug trafficker at that time most wanted by Brazil took place at sensitive moments of intelligence work by A Ultranza Py, investigations that suffered significant data leaks that helped to get rid of those considered big bosses of criminal organizations.

The chats via Whatsapp sent by the Prosecutor’s Office in the framework of international cooperation show that Marcus Vinicius held a series of meetings and key conversations with the then Minister of the Interior with the alleged intention of being able to access contracts with the State as a supplier . In the conversations, works carried out as “courtesy” are even mentioned in the framework of the negotiations to enter public tenders.

After talking about “business investment” deals in Brazil, the alleged narco, owner of the companies Black Eagle (dedicated to vehicle armor) and Ombu (vehicle rental), asked Giuzzio if he could send Ciudad del Este a Hyundai Santa Fe truck for “suspension change, armor maintenance and paint touch-ups.” The response of the authority was: “I see”.

Continuing with the lobby, in November of last year, the alleged drug boss notified the head of the security portfolio that he would be in Asunción to test the bulletproof vests he intended to sell to the State.

In addition, both the then Minister of the Interior and the former Vice Minister of Internal Security, Commissioner Pablo René Ríos, visited the Black Eagle premises in Ciudad del Este, something that for Vinicius was “too important”.

But, as if that were not enough, Giuzzio also left in the hands of the alleged drug trafficker the three tactical vehicles of the National Police and that are used by the Joint Task Force (FTC) in the fight against the terrorist groups that operate in the northern part of the country. country. One of the shots was repaired by “courtesy”.

Marcus Vinicius reports to the former minister about the conditions of the vehicles, and even with a certain tone of confidence mentions that one of them lacks “affection, love”. Not a minor fact is that the alleged narco was in the same base of operations as Grupo Halcón, which is part of the FTC.

Apparently there would even be a request for mediation in a criminal case, since Padua sends the link to a newspaper article about Lava Jato and Giuzzio replies: “Thank you, Marcus”, and then adds: “I’m talking to you.” Then, the Brazilian details the name of “Antonio da Motta”, the minister consults him: “Is this the case?, and the other confirms.

In another communication, the Minister of the Interior informs the alleged drug trafficker about the rush they have for a key visit, detailing that the visitor is nothing more and nothing less than the defense attaché to the Embassy of the Republic of Israel in the Republic of Chile and concurrent from the Republic of Paraguay, Colonel Eran Gabay.

On December 26, Arnaldo Giuzzio undertook a trip through Brazil, but his vehicle had mechanical problems and he turned to the alleged drug trafficker to be able to continue his trip. Marcus Vinicius referred the assistance to the manager of the Ombu company, Gilberto Enciso, who was going to bring him the Kia Carnival truck so that he could continue his trip.

According to the indictment, the vehicle on loan, free of charge, by Giuzzio, was delivered to him in Ciudad del Este with the supporting documents and a rental contract, in order to serve him as a driving license, since the The truck was actually loaned and not leased, since the aforementioned vehicle was for the personal use of the Brazilian’s wife.

But as if that were not enough, after finishing his vacation, Giuzzio arrived in Asunción with the borrowed truck, because the alleged drug trafficker gave him that facility for his greater comfort and did not return it to Ciudad del Este.

For the Prosecutor’s Office, this and other vehicle repair courtesies, the alleged drug trafficker Marcus Vinicius granted to the then Minister of the Interior so that in the future he will benefit from a tender from the security portfolio and be a supplier to the State.

Finally, the Public Ministry maintains that Giuzzio would have used different items for the maintenance of the tactical vehicles, without there being a bidding process and an award contract in favor of the Marcus Vinicius companies.

These links were developed in parallel to the investigative tasks of the A Ultranza Py operation and the Smart operation, which investigated the organization that was supposedly headed by the Uruguayan Sebastián Marset.

Intelligence reports show a series of leaks of sensitive information in favor of drug traffickers, and two of those investigation notices are presumed to have come from the Ministry of the Interior, in charge of Arnaldo Giuzzio, always according to what is read in the transcripts of listening to conversations between elements of the investigated cartel.

In addition to the report that Senad sent to the Public Ministry, it suspiciously does not link Marset with Lindomar Reges Furtado, who, according to Brazilian intelligence, would have Marcus Vinicius as his main ally. The striking thing is that the Police do manage to show business meetings between Lindomar and the Uruguayan.

Along with the leaks, now it is verified in the reports of the Brazilian Public Ministry a continuous relationship between the former Minister of the Interior and the alleged narco Padua, which is cut with the Turf operation, where the latter is arrested in Foz de Yguazú , and Lindomar escapes without much effort from Senad’s siege at the Paraná Country Club.

On the night of Monday, February 14, 2022, one day before the Turf operation, Giuzzio sent a strange message to Marcus Vinicius in which he indicated that on Wednesday he should send his people to collect. The Brazilian tells him that he was wrong about Marcus, but the former minister replies that he “believes” that he owes him payment for another truck. Finally, he tells her that Ombu’s manager handled everything related to collection. Hours later, Marcus Vinicius was captured by the Federal Police.