Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Requests Official Report After Meeting with Brazilian Ambassador to Paraguay

The Paraguayan government has officially requested an explanation from the Brazilian government regarding alleged Brazilian cyber espionage activities targeting Paraguayan government officials.

On Tuesday, Paraguayan Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Víctor Verdún met with the Brazilian Ambassador to Paraguay, José Antônio Marcondes. During the meeting, Vice Minister Verdún delivered a letter formally requesting the Brazilian government to submit a report regarding intelligence activities directed at Paraguay.

Previously, Paraguayan Minister of Foreign Affairs Rubén Ramírez Lezcano announced during a press conference that a series of measures would be taken if espionage activities against Paraguayan government officials were confirmed.

The official document delivered by the Paraguayan government to the Brazilian Ambassador requests a detailed explanation of intelligence activities carried out by the Brazilian Intelligence Agency (ABIN) between June 2022 and March 2023. It is currently understood that cyber intrusion attempts targeting the Paraguayan government occurred during this period.

Meanwhile, Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva dismissed the notion that the espionage activities were carried out under the current administration, suggesting the possibility that his predecessor, former President Jair Bolsonaro, may have ordered them.