US Embassy clarifies Paraguay cooperation deals amid sanctions talk

The US Embassy in Paraguay has addressed speculation that recent cooperation agreements between the two nations involved a trade-off for the lifting of sanctions on Horacio Cartes, a key political figure. Robert Alter, the US Chargé d'Affaires in Paraguay, confirmed that while the issues are related, the recent agreements focus on nuclear energy cooperation and critical minerals.

On Tuesday, the governments of the United States and Paraguay signed a framework agreement for cooperation on the peaceful use of nuclear energy. The deal was signed in Washington D.C. by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Paraguayan Foreign Minister Rubén Ramírez. Paraguayan Vice President Pedro Alliana, who attended the ceremony, indicated that the agreement could eventually extend to cooperation in uranium prospecting and exploitation, though he stressed that the current focus is on exploration.

Alter clarified that the recently signed agreement is a diplomatic tool enabling the sharing of best practices for the potential development of peaceful civilian nuclear energy. He emphasized that the US seeks to share its extensive experience and support Paraguay in developing its technical capabilities. This collaboration aims to empower future Paraguayan leaders to make sovereign decisions regarding the use of such technologies.

The US official highlighted that his country possesses advanced technology for safe and secure civilian nuclear energy generation. The goal of the memorandum is to ensure Paraguay has access to the best resources for secure production, while respecting Paraguay's sovereignty in its final technology choices. The US commitment includes ensuring the highest standards of security and non-proliferation for any future use of peaceful nuclear energy in Paraguay.