Asuncion, Paraguay — Paraguay’s House of Representatives on Tuesday approved a defense pact that allows the temporary presence of U.S. military and civilian personnel within its borders, widely seen as a victory for the United States. Trump administrationwhich he sought to Strengthening its presence in Latin America.
The Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA) was approved by a large majority of lawmakers and is now awaiting signature President Santiago Peña To take effect. Peña, one of Trump’s closest allies in the region, is expected to sign the agreement in the coming days.
The agreement was approved by a vote of 53 to eight against, and four blank ballots were returned from a total of 80 lawmakers. Fifteen did not attend the vote.
The agreement, which the two countries signed in Washington in December, establishes a legal framework for the presence of US security forces in Paraguay for training, joint exercises and humanitarian assistance. It also allows the United States to exercise criminal jurisdiction over its employees while they are in the country.
The treaty, which the US State Department and Paraguayan Foreign Minister Rubén Ramírez Lezcano hailed as “historic,” was approved by Paraguay’s Senate last week, where the debate has been more polarized by concerns about potential violations of sovereignty.
Some lawmakers argued against the agreement, pointing to a controversial provision that grants foreign forces immunity from prosecution, equivalent to immunity granted to diplomatic personnel.
“We believe in international cooperation, but we also believe in strong countries, respected institutions, and true democratic sovereignty,” said Raul Benitez, an independent congressman.
Despite the criticism, Paraguay’s foreign minister supported the agreement, saying in December that its main goal was to strengthen cooperation between the United States and Paraguay in the fight against transnational organized crime and “terrorism.” He also made clear that “there is no possibility of establishing American military bases” in Paraguay.
Washington also praised the Status of Forces Agreement US Secretary of State Marco Rubio He described it as a “landmark agreement” that would help facilitate bilateral and multinational training, humanitarian assistance, disaster response, and other shared security interests.
The approval of the Status of Forces Agreement comes at a time when Washington seeks to expand its influence in Latin America within the framework of the Trump administration’s national security strategy and as a sector of civil society in Paraguay continues to raise its voice against it.
“The security of any country is not built by importing troops or protecting foreign agents with diplomatic immunities,” the Peace and Justice Service, a civilian organization with a presence across Latin America, said in a statement issued days before the final vote. She added that the treaty “does not represent progress in the field of security, but rather the formalization of the geopolitics of impunity that undermines the foundations of our national dignity.”
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