Self-discipline and onerous work have been the pillars with which Air Power Normal Eladio Casimiro González Aguilar, former commander of the Paraguayan Navy Forces, led his troops. Following 4 years of management, from October 2018 till his October 13, 2022 retirement, Gen. González can now observe the fruits of his labor. Right now, the Navy Forces work underneath the ideas of joint, mixed, and interinstitutional coordination to face frequent threats.
Gen. González spoke with Diálogo previous to his retirement in regards to the challenges within the combat in opposition to transnational felony organizations and navy modernization processes, amongst different matters.
Diálogo: What’s new in regards to the Navy Forces regarding duties to reestablish inside order, such because the combat in opposition to transnational crime, narcotrafficking, smuggling, contraband, and arms trafficking?
Air Power Normal (ret.) Eladio Casimiro González Aguilar, former commander of the Paraguayan Navy Forces: Preventing transnational crimes represents a continuing problem of adaptation, ongoing enchancment of capabilities, and optimization of coaching to meet the missions adequately and all the time throughout the authorized framework. There are applications and initiatives underway throughout the Navy Forces that embrace revising the regulatory framework and buying appropriate materials to confront the threats, however above all, we’ve strengthened cooperation channels with Brazil, with whom we share an intensive river and land border in areas the place the transnational threats of biggest influence and hazard are concentrated.
Diálogo: How do the Navy Forces contribute to the regional combat in opposition to cross-border threats?
Gen. González: The Paraguayan Navy Forces, by way of their Army, Navy, and Air Power models, execute actions in opposition to cross-border threats, particularly in opposition to drug and arms trafficking, finishing up, inside their authorized capabilities, patrols and interventions in opposition to narcotrafficking organizations on the rivers that border Brazil and Argentina, conducting operations to detect narcotrafficking utilizing aerial transport, and performing on land borders, primarily with Brazil in joint and mixed operations to assault the illicit manufacturing of marijuana, and destroy clandestine airstrips, amongst different duties.
All of the drug seized, members of felony organizations captured, in addition to operations carried out to eradicate illicit marijuana crops throughout the nationwide territory, airspace, and jurisdictional waters, contribute to decreasing the availability of medication, which most important locations are different international locations bordering Paraguay and likewise outdoors the area.
Diálogo: Why is it essential for the Navy Forces to work in a joint and mixed method to confront frequent threats, reminiscent of transnational felony organizations?
Gen. González: The character of the risk is complicated; felony teams benefit from the terrain, the difficulties for management and infrequently the restrictions for legislation enforcement our bodies involving worldwide jurisdictions or borders, all to achieve benefits for his or her illicit actions. These actions require a multidimensional and complete response from the Navy Forces, with joint operations, intensive trade of data and intelligence, and worldwide coordination by way of mixed operations with a view to be environment friendly in combating cross-border crimes, particularly with regard to narcotrafficking.
A concrete instance was Operation Basalt [Operación Basalto], a mixed operation between Paraguay and Brazil; and joint with the mixing of the Inner Protection Operations Command (CODI), the place fight parts of the Army, Navy, and Air Power participated; and interagency, because it concerned the Ministry of Protection, the Ministry of the Inside, the Nationwide Anti-Drug Secretariat (SENAD), the Nationwide Police, and the Interagency Unit to Fight Smuggling. The operation was carried out concurrently with Brazil’s Operation Agate. The operation started on July 23 [2022] and lasted 10 days to fight cross-border and environmental crime. Basalt yielded historic outcomes such because the seizure and incineration of greater than 415,000 kilograms of unlawful marijuana prepared for consumption, the detection and destruction of 4 clandestine airstrips used for cocaine trafficking by air, and the placement and destruction of 18 marijuana processing facilities and 57 illicit drug storage camps, amongst different achievements. Basalt induced a monetary loss to felony organizations estimated at greater than $12.5 million (contemplating the worth of the drug on the low market value in Paraguay).
Diálogo: What’s new by way of counternarcotics interdiction operations in help of SENAD?
Gen. González: CODI, in its mannequin of group and joint, interinstitutional work, is a profitable instance in each sense. The sum of the contribution of various capabilities of the Navy Forces, related to the right use of SENAD’s intelligence on felony teams that interact in narcotrafficking, have allowed us to considerably enhance effectivity for the interdiction of illicit medicine in Paraguayan waters, airspace, and territory.
From 2019 till the primary week of September 2022, greater than 17.4 million kg of illicit marijuana have been prevented from reaching regional consumption markets, in addition to 3,557 kg of cocaine, along with airplanes, autos, and properties seized from felony organizations, inflicting a monetary loss to those organizations of greater than $571 million in that interval.
Diálogo: What’s the function of the Navy Forces by way of environmental safety?
Gen. González: The Paraguayan Navy Forces created specialised models to take care of environmental elements inside their space of duty and for eventual contingencies underneath the identify of Inexperienced Helmets, which act primarily along with the nationwide environmental authority, the Ministry of the Atmosphere and Sustainable Improvement (MADES), supporting its management and oversight actions in nationwide parks and guarded environmental areas. It’s also essential to grasp that when eradicating illicit marijuana crops, we’re additionally performing to guard the setting, since a lot of the illicit crops are positioned inside environmental areas (forest reserves) protected by legislation (non-public and public), being an essential reason behind deforestation of our native forest. We’re additionally working to lift consciousness among the many personnel deployed within the completely different models countrywide in order that they change into controllers and multipliers of the care and safety of the setting.
Diálogo: What progress has been made within the space of gender integration?
Gen. González: This present day, feminine personnel are absolutely included within the actions of the Navy Forces, which is a key issue of their modernization and professionalization. The Navy Forces have been selling a draft regulation with a view to search equal alternatives, maternity safety, breastfeeding help, mitigate inequality, and gender violence discrimination, amongst different elements.
Right now we offer coaching and counseling for skilled improvement on equal phrases for women and men. Ladies are accepted in coaching and training colleges and occupy capabilities and positions in accordance with their grades and capabilities. Equally, we’ve got elevated the deployment of feminine personnel (officers and noncommissioned officers) in United Nations-mandated peacekeeping missions, and a number of other have been despatched on research excursions overseas.
Diálogo: What’s the progress in plans to enhance the Navy Forces’ protection capabilities?
Gen. González: We’re growing our “Tesareko Mombyry 2022-2052 Transformation and Modernization Plan” with the intention of building a strategic software for modernizing the establishment, optimizing administration, and making improvements in organizational construction, human sources, doctrine, and means and infrastructure.
