Paraguayans without embassies will receive Mercosur consular assistance

Paraguayan President Santiago Peña has signed into law a measure that ratifies the Mercosur consular cooperation mechanism, enhancing protection for citizens of member and associate states when they are abroad and their home country has no diplomatic or consular presence.

The approved agreement, signed in Santa Fe, Argentina, in 2019, establishes a framework for mutual consular assistance. Paraguay will serve as the depositary for the agreement's instruments. This initiative is particularly significant for Paraguay, which lacks representation in countries like China, meaning Mercosur partners can now provide consular services to Paraguayan citizens in such locations.

The mechanism operates in various scenarios, including emergencies, situations involving vulnerable individuals like children, victims of human trafficking, or those in destitution. It also covers cases where a national is detained, requires repatriation due to high vulnerability, or faces natural or man-made disasters, provided the request comes from the affected national's state of origin.

This agreement builds upon previous Mercosur decisions aimed at fostering consular cooperation among its members, including Bolivia and Chile as associate states. It aligns with the core principles of the Treaty of Asunción and the Protocol of Ouro Preto, further integrating the bloc's efforts to support its citizens across borders.

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The cooperation agreement seeks to strengthen the consular assistance and protection of citizens of the member and associate countries of the regional bloc when they are in third States where their country of origin does not have diplomatic or consular representation.