Paraguay Approves the SOFA Agreement with the U.S. Granting Immunity to Its Troops to Combat Terrorism and Organized Crime

The Chamber of Deputies of Paraguay approved, with 53 votes in favor, 8 against, and 4 abstentions, the Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA) signed with the United States.

This treaty, previously ratified by the Senate, has already been promulgated by President Santiago Peña during a bilateral meeting in Chile with Deputy Assistant Secretary Christopher Landau, consolidating a legal framework that regulates the temporary presence of U.S. military personnel, Department of Defense civilians, and contractors in Paraguayan territory.

Dictamen favorable al Acuerdo sobre el Estatuto de las Fuerzas (SOFA) entre Paraguay y EEUU

(Redacción: Prensa – Dirección de Comunicación). La Comisión de Relaciones Exteriores, presidida por el diputado Juan M. Añazco (ANR-Central), dictaminó a favor de un proyecto de ley que… pic.twitter.com/MqgYWFdha1

— Cámara de Diputados (@DiputadosPy) March 10, 2026

The agreement, signed on December 15, 2025, in Washington by Paraguayan Foreign Minister Rubén Ramírez Lezcano and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, clearly establishes that the presence of U.S. forces will be temporary and limited to specific activities: joint training, military exercises, humanitarian assistance operations, disaster response, and security cooperation.

According to Article 1 of the text, these missions will be carried out only with mutual agreement between both governments and do not include internal security operations or indefinite presence.

One of the central points of the SOFA is the immunity and privileges granted to U.S. personnel, equivalent to those of administrative and technical staff of diplomatic missions under the Vienna Convention of 1961.

The United States will exercise exclusive criminal jurisdiction over its personnel while they remain in Paraguay, along with tax, customs, and duty exemptions for equipment, supplies, and local acquisitions.

These provisions, detailed in Articles 2, 3, 4, 6, and 7 of the agreement, facilitate cooperation without bureaucratic hurdles, as occurs in other allied countries.

Foreign Minister Ramírez Lezcano defended the treaty as a strategic tool to confront transnational organized crime, drug trafficking, and terrorism—threats that directly impact the region.

Paraguay, the country where in September 2025 Hernán Bermúdez Requena, alias “El Abuelo,” alleged leader of the Mexican criminal group La Barredora dedicated to retail drug sales, extortion, and drug trafficking, was detained, is well aware of these dangers.

Tenemos que ganarle la guerra a las drogas, y darle seguridad en las calles y las plazas a nuestras familias, para ello es fundamental contar con el apoyo de nuestros principales aliados en el mundo.

Aprobamos el acuerdo SOFA que permitirá fortalecer las cooperaciones en… pic.twitter.com/9F1xgUE9xY

— Raul Latorre (@raulatorre) March 10, 2026

The agreement does not authorize permanent military bases; the Foreign Minister himself clarified this explicitly, and the text is limited to temporary presence for agreed activities, respecting Paraguayan sovereignty.

In official statements, President Peña and Secretary Rubio highlighted that this alliance strengthens Paraguayan defense capabilities and contributes to hemispheric stability.

Rubio described it as a historic step that formalizes an already existing partnership to train together, share intelligence, and respond to humanitarian contingencies, in line with the Trump administration’s strategy to reinforce U.S. presence in Hispanic America in the face of threats such as cartels and external influence.

While left-wing sectors and some opposition deputies criticize the agreement as an alleged “cession of sovereignty,” the Paraguayan government presents it as a pragmatic and sovereign decision that strengthens institutions and citizen security.

Paraguay, one of the few countries in the region that maintains relations with Taiwan, once again demonstrates its commitment to reliable democratic allies in the face of regimes that prioritize ideological rhetoric over the effective protection of their peoples.

This step consolidates the bilateral relationship between two nations that share values of freedom, rule of law, and the fight against narcoterrorism, opening doors to greater economic and security cooperation for the benefit of both peoples.

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