13 Years On, Paraguay Remembers Brutal Murder of Rancher Luis Lindstron by EPP Terrorists

Tacuatí, Paraguay – Thirteen years ago today, rancher Luis Lindstron was ambushed and killed by members of the Paraguayan People's Army (EPP) terrorist group. Lindstron, who had served as mayor of Tacuatí, was shot and killed on May 31, 2013, as he left his leased property in his pickup truck.

The EPP, a designated terrorist organization, allegedly targeted Lindstron in retaliation for his refusal to continue paying a "revolutionary tax." This was not the first time Lindstron had been targeted by the group. In 2008, he was kidnapped by the EPP and held for over a month before his family paid a $130,000 ransom.

Even after his release, Lindstron lived in fear. He was reportedly forced to return a portion of the ransom money to the EPP under threat of death, not only to himself but also to his three daughters. Despite his efforts to negotiate a way to live peacefully in his hometown, the EPP ultimately murdered him.

The assassination prompted a significant police and military operation in the Tacuatí region. Several peasant leaders were arrested on suspicion of collaborating with the EPP, though their legal processes became complex. Ultimately, the state failed to provide Lindstron with adequate protection against the persistent threats from the terrorist group.