The President of Paraguay, Mario Abdo Benítez, today dismissed the Minister of the Interior, Arnaldo Giuzzio, after allegations were made known about his contacts with Marcus Vinicius Espíndola Marqués de Padua, an alleged drug trafficker detained in Brazil.
The chief of staff of the Presidency, Hernán Huttemann, announced to journalists the president’s decision, which he assured is based on “the deep conviction and need to safeguard the legitimacy of the Ministry of the Interior.”
In addition, he confirmed that Giuzzio will be replaced by the former adviser to the Presidency in Strategic Affairs, Federico González, who is expected to take office tomorrow, Wednesday.
Huttemann indicated that Abdo Benítez also appointed the current Minister of Justice, Cecilia Pérez, as advisor on Security Affairs of the Presidency.
Giuzzio’s departure occurred after local media echoed contacts between the former minister and an alleged Brazilian drug trafficker, which the former official assured occurred before he became aware that he belonged to a “criminal organization.”
Giuzzio explained today on Twitter that he received a visit from Marcos Vinicius last year in a unit of the Paraguayan National Police called Specialized Group, in his capacity as “representative of the Black Eagle company.”
He explained that he was then “accompanied by technical personnel”, to whom Marcos Vinicius “exhibited tactical equipment offered by his company.” According to Giuzzio, the subject sent the Ministry “a proposal on armor.”
He also admitted that at the end of December, on a family trip, after a mechanical problem that his vehicle suffered in Brazilian territory, he decided to return to Ciudad del Este, in Paraguay, and rent a vehicle from the Ombu company, owned by the aforementioned drug trafficker, to continue the journey.
The newspaper Última Hora revealed, however, that the manager of the Ombu SA firm, Gilberto Enciso, indicated that the vehicle was donated by a bond of friendship.
The alleged drug trafficker was arrested a few days ago in Brazil as part of Operation Turf, which was supported by the United States Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) and Europol.
In brief statements to journalists from the López Palace (seat of government), González said that he will assume the reins of the Interior portfolio at a “very delicate moment.”
He stressed that he received “express instructions” to continue in the fight against organized crime and its related crimes, and to take the “firmest and most determined” measures to fulfill that objective.
On February 4, Giuzzio had faced the threat of impeachment for “bad performance” of his duties, a proposal that did not advance in the Lower House due to lack of the required votes.
EFE
