ASUNCIÓN: Paraguay's Chamber of Deputies on Tuesday approved a defense agreement allowing the temporary presence of US military and civilian personnel inside its borders, widely seen as a victory for the Trump administration, which has sought to strengthen its presence in Latin America.
The Status of Forces Agreement, or SOFA, was approved by a large majority of lawmakers and now awaits the signature of President Santiago Peña to take effect. The agreement passed with 53 votes in favor and eight against, and four abstentions out of a total 80 lawmakers. Fifteen were not present for the vote. Peña, one of Trump's closest allies in the region, is expected to sign the deal in the coming days.
Signed by both countries in Washington in December, the agreement establishes a legal framework for the presence of US security forces in Paraguay for training, joint exercises, and humanitarian assistance. It also authorizes the United States to have criminal jurisdiction over its personnel while in the country.
The treaty, praised as "historic" by both the US State Department and Paraguayan Foreign Minister Rubén Ramírez Lezcano, was approved by the Paraguayan Senate last week, where debate was more polarized due to concerns over potential violations of sovereignty.
Some legislators argued against the agreement, citing a controversial provision to grant foreign troops immunity from prosecution, equivalent to that handed to diplomatic personnel.
"We believe in international cooperation, but we also believe in strong states, respected institutions and real democratic sovereignty," said independent congressman Raúl Benítez.
Despite criticisms, Paraguay's foreign minister backed the agreement, arguing in December that its main purpose is to strengthen cooperation between the United States and Paraguay in fighting transnational organized crime and "terrorism." He also clarified that "there is no possibility of the installation of US military bases" in Paraguay.
Washington has also praised SOFA, with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio calling it a "historic agreement" that would help facilitate bilateral and multinational training, humanitarian assistance, disaster response, and other shared security interests.
The approval of SOFA comes as Washington seeks to expand its influence in Latin America under 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 a country is not built by importing troops or shielding foreign agents with diplomatic immunities," said Peace and Justice Service, a civil organization which has a presence across Latin America, in a statement released days before the final vote.
The treaty, it added, "does not represent progress in security, but rather the formalization of a geopolitics of impunity that undermines the pillars of our national dignity."