Deadly shootout in Tavaí linked to 'Macho'? Police respond

A violent shootout on a public street in Tavaí, Caazapá, on Saturday left one man dead and four others injured, with authorities now probing a connection to a prominent drug trafficker. The incident involved suspected hitmen on a motorcycle who opened fire on a group of people. One of the attackers was killed at the scene, while his accomplice escaped.

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What happened on Saturday is not a fortuitous situation.

Intelligence reports from the Internal Defense Operations Command link the deceased attacker, identified as Julio César Ortega, 26, to the inner circle of alleged drug lord Felipe Santiago Acosta, known as 'Macho'. Javier Flores, director of criminal investigations for the National Police, confirmed that Ortega, from Brítez Cue, Canindeyú, had "certain responsibilities" within Acosta's organization. However, Flores noted that this intelligence did not originate from the police.

While the investigation into the exact motives is ongoing, police believe the attack was not random but rather a "settling of scores" between criminal elements. Sources suggest the primary target may have been Julio César Sanabria, 29, who is believed to lead a rival criminal group in the Caazapá region. Authorities are working to identify the accomplice who fled the scene.

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It seems to be a kind of settling of scores between people who are involved in some kind of criminal activity.

This incident follows reports that Felipe Acosta may have shifted his operations from Canindeyú to Caazapá after a major anti-drug operation in late 2025 resulted in the seizure of a record 88 tons of marijuana. The police are actively pursuing leads to apprehend the escaped hitman.

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He had certain responsibilities within 'Macho's' organization.