US embassy cable - 05ASUNCION1258

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ASUNCION 001258 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT OF JUSTICE FOR FAYE EHRENSTAMN, DEPUTY DIRECTOR/OPDAT, 
AMY YOUNG DOJ/OPDAT 
 
STATE FOR WHA/BSC, S/CT 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KJUS, KCRM, ABUD, AFIN, PA, POL 
SUBJECT: PARAGUAY: PARAGUAY COUNTRY CLEARANCE FOR TRAINING 
CONFERENCE FOR DEPARTMENT OF STATE, DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE, 
ASUNCION PARAGUAY, OCTOBER 10-12, 2005. 
 
REF: STATE 182650 
 
 
  1.   Per reftel, country clearance is granted for 
 
       -ELIZABETH D'AURIA 
     -AMY YOUNG 
during the period of OCT/6/05 to OCT/13/05 
 
for: 
     -MARK ALMON 
     -THOMAS MILLER 
     -MARK MALDONADO 
during the period of OCT/8/05 to OCT/13/05 
 
for: 
     -DEBORAH A. MCCARTHY 
     -CAROLINE CROFT 
     -NICHOLAS NOYES 
     -CELINA REALUYO 
     -STEPHANIE PELL 
     -JENNIFER SHOWELL 
     -CHARLES ALLEN 
     -DAVID KANE 
     -CYNTHIA CARR 
 
during the period of OCT/9/05 to OCT/13/05 
 
For the purpose of PARTICIPATING IN A REGIONAL CONFERENCE ON 
FINANCIAL INTELLIGENCE UNITS AND THEIR ROLE AGAINST THE 
TRANSPORTATION OF CURRENCY AND THE ILLICIT USE OF CHARITIES 
IN ASUNCION PARAGUAY, TO BE HELD FROM OCTOBER 10-12/2005. 
The contact officer for the visit is SCOTT THORLEY RLA., 
office tel.:595-21-213-715, ext.2039. Home tel.: 595-21-664- 
567. 
 
2. Hotel reservations have been confirmed at the 
EXCELSIOR HOTEL, (address: CHILE 980; 
telephone: 595-21-495-632). This hotel is located 
approximately 3 miles from the Embassy. Cost 
of the single/double room is USD 90 per 
night with tax and breakfast included. 
 
3. Due to budget constraints, post will only provide 
airport expediter for initial arrival and final 
departure of employees assigned to post, as well as for 
senior officials. Other travelers requiring special 
assistance should request an expediter in advance and 
provide fiscal data. Taxis are available from the 
airport. A taxi ride from the airport to your hotel 
may cost you anywhere from 45,000 to 60,000 guaranies, 
approximately 8 to 10 USD. 
 
4. All U.S. citizens traveling to Paraguay are 
now required to have visas. Airport and border 
visas are not available at this time. Please 
contact the Paraguayan Embassy or closest 
Consulate for more information, especially if you 
require a multiple entry visa. 
 
5. If travel plans involve visiting neighboring 
countries in the region, please arrive with 
appropriate visas and obtain country clearances 
from the appropriate U.S. Embassies. Brazil and 
Argentina requires visas for official travelers on 
diplomatic, official, and/or personal passports. 
Official visitors contemplating travel to Iguazu 
Falls should advise the Embassy before doing so as 
well as Embassy Brasilia and/or Embassy Buenos 
Aires if they plan to cross into Brazil and 
Argentina. Travelers are reminded that Iguazu 
Falls is located on the border of Brazil and 
Argentina, about ten miles east of Ciudad del 
Este, Paraguay, and that travelers from Paraguay 
cross into Brazil. 
 
6. Post recommends that even though you will be 
only transiting Brazil, you also obtain a 
Brazilian visa. If the airline cancels or delays 
its flight to Asuncion, then you may have to stay 
in Sao Paulo for one day while waiting for the 
next available flight to Asuncion. Brazilian 
authorities will not permit you to leave the 
airport to go to a hotel without a valid Brazilian 
visa. U.S. citizens may be fingerprinted and 
photographed upon entry into Brazil. This applies 
to holders of diplomatic and official passports, 
as well as tourist passports. 
 
7. Threat Assessment: 
A. Political Violence-Terrorism: There are no 
indigenous terrorist organizations in Paraguay. 
There are no political groups or parties that are 
currently active in this country that are 
specifically targeting U.S. interests. However, 
given the presence of members of and support for 
extremist terrorist groups in the tri-border 
region (Alto Parana and Itapua Departments), 
visitors here cannot discount the possibility of 
terrorist activity, to include random acts of 
anti-American violence. 
B. Crime: Paraguay is a high-threat post for 
crime. Petty street crime in the city of Asuncion 
and the immediate suburbs continues to be a 
problem for residents and visitors alike. 
Visitors to the city of Asuncion should be aware 
of problems with pickpockets or purse snatchers on 
the street or on public transportation. Until 
recently, most crime affecting visitors has been 
non-violent; aggravated robberies, shootings, 
etc., while not completely unheard of in Asuncion, 
were nonetheless uncommon. However, incidents of 
armed robberies of businesses and residences by 
criminal groups are occurring with greater 
frequency, and as a result, it is recommended that 
due caution be exercised when traveling about the 
city. 
 
8. The seasons in Paraguay are the opposite of 
those in the United States. Asuncion's climate is 
extremely hot from November through April and cool 
or mild in July and August. The transitional 
seasons, May - June and September - October are 
unpredictable: they can be pleasant or hot. 
Health conditions generally are good. The water 
in Asuncion is potable, and there are few reports 
of intestinal or stomach problems. There is no 
endemic hepatitis or malaria in Asuncion although 
outbreaks of dengue fever are recurrent. 
 
9. As of May/25/05 the exchange rate is 
6,090 guaranies to one US dollar. Personal 
Finances: Official travelers may cash personal 
checks at the Embassy for amounts up to US$ 750.00 
per week; and use their ATM cards at one of the 
many terminals located throughout the city. 
Because of restrictions with the embassy bank, 
ABN-AMRO, traveler's checks may only be cashed 
with one of the local exchange houses. 
 
10. Laptops, Personal Digital Assistants (PDA) 
Pilots, cellular telephones and other electronic 
devices: Laptops and PDAs may not be brought into 
the Embassy without the prior approval of the 
Regional Security Office. Personally owned 
laptops, PDAs may not/not be used in the Embassy. 
USG-owned laptops may only be used in Controlled 
Access Areas (CAA) if the user certifies that the 
computer has been continuously under the personal 
control of a cleared American throughout transit. 
If this requirement is not met, the laptop can 
only be utilized outside of the CAA. USG-owned 
PDAs are under the same restrictions as cellular 
phones and other electronic devices, and may not 
be utilized within the CAA. 
 
11. Security Clearance: State Department policy 
requires that all official visitors verify their 
security clearances, in writing, with the RSO in 
order to have unescorted access to the Embassy. 
Visitors whose clearances are not verified must be 
escorted at all times. TDY'ers must schedule a 
security in briefing with the security office as 
soon as possible after arriving at post. Access 
badges will not be issued until the employee has 
acknowledged receipt of the required security 
briefing."