The Paraguayan Navy received the first of twelve high-speed patrol boats donated by the United States as part of a river security cooperation programme. The donation is part of the ‘Fluvial Security Resilience’ initiative, implemented in partnership with US Southern Command.
Paraguayan President Santiago Peña highlighted the donation’s importance in strengthening the Navy’s capabilities. The Navy is responsible for safeguarding Paraguay’s territorial integrity within its riverine domain. Peña emphasised that the government prioritises national security and defence as a cornerstone for Paraguay’s development, investing in its Air Force, Navy, and Army.
Fast patrol boats: Strengthening riverine security
President Peña stated: “This is part of a donation of 12 boats that we have been working on with the American government. This is the first one; three more will arrive by the end of the year, and another batch next year.”
He noted that the results in combating organised crime and drug trafficking demonstrate the government’s commitment to this priority. In addition to the patrol boat, a container of auxiliary equipment, spare parts, and tools also arrived. Vice-Admiral Lucio Benítez Escalante, commander of the Paraguayan Navy, provided this detail.
Enhanced US-Paraguay cooperation
Commander Benítez described the donation as evidence of the strong and growing relationship between Paraguay and the United States, nations that share common principles, values, and objectives. “With this act, we show the solid and increasingly stronger relationship between our country and the United States, a country with which we share common principles, values, and objectives,” Benítez stated.
Recently, Paraguay’s Air Force received four Bell UH-1H – nicknamed Huey – helicopters, a donation from the Republic of China (Taiwan), significantly boosting its operational and logistical capabilities.
Modernising naval operations
Benítez also announced the upcoming inauguration of a unified command and control centre for the general naval prefecture. This centre aims to improve river patrols by leveraging technology. With support from the Ministry of Information and Communication Technologies (Mitic) and the Naval Prefecture, the Paraguayan Navy is also implementing a digital platform to streamline administrative processes, enhance efficiency, and increase transparency.
The Paraguayan Navy plays a crucial role in protecting the country’s maritime and fluvial interests. It actively participates in the fight against transnational threats such as organised crime, drug trafficking, and smuggling. The commander reaffirmed the Navy’s commitment to combating smuggling of all kinds to safeguard national production and industry.
