The government of Paraguay, led by President Santiago Peña, is taking inspiration from the security strategies of El Salvador to address the growing issue of prison control and organized crime. Deputy Raúl Latorre, president of the Paraguayan Chamber of Deputies, confirmed that the Peña administration has adopted a model similar to that of El Salvador’s President Nayib Bukele, especially in managing its penitentiary system.
In an interview with Diario El Salvador, Latorre explained that the decision to use the Bukele model was driven by the need to regain control of Paraguay’s largest prison, Tacumbú, which had become a hub for drug trafficking and criminal activity. Under the leadership of Peña, a military and police operation, dubbed Veneratio, was carried out to regain control of the facility.
“This operation was inspired by the success of President Bukele’s strategy in El Salvador, particularly his actions against gangs and organized crime,” said Latorre, a member of the Colorado Party.
Following the operation, which resulted in the transfer of inmates to other detention centers across the country, Peña confirmed the influence of Bukele’s approach. «The experience of El Salvador, of Nayib, has been a factor of encouragement to confront these criminal groups,» Peña told international media, acknowledging the significant change Bukele’s policies have brought to El Salvador, once known for its high crime rates.
The Veneratio operation and its aftermath, including the dramatic images of prisoners sitting on the floor in tight rows, quickly garnered comparisons to similar operations in El Salvador, where gang members are routinely transferred to different prisons to curb their influence.
Latorre also emphasized the importance of further collaboration between Paraguay and El Salvador in security matters. He recently discussed the possibility of a comparative study on security legislation with the president of El Salvador’s Legislative Assembly, Ernesto Castro. «The world is talking about what El Salvador is doing in terms of security,» Latorre noted.
This move by Paraguay reflects a growing trend of countries looking to El Salvador’s success as a model for combating organized crime and improving security within their own borders.