In a session of the Constitutional Affairs, National Defense, and Public Force Commission of the Bicameral Chamber of the Congress of the Republic of Paraguay, the Minister of National Defense, General (R) Óscar González, appeared alongside the Commander of the Paraguayan Air Force, General Julio Fullaondo, to explain the scope of a future shoot-down law for aircraft, the acquisition of Super Tucano aircraft, and the acquisition of radars.
The strongest point of the session was the debate on an aircraft shoot-down law, where several senators and deputies, both from the ruling party and the opposition, were in favor of this new law. From the Executive power, Minister González was clear that a new law is not necessary, but rather preferred to continue with the current law No. 6.980 “On Surveillance and Protection of Paraguayan Airspace,” enacted in 2022.
“With this current law, the Paraguayan Air Force is capable of protecting the airspace; we have the dictum that it is sufficient. From the National Defense Council, we have a determined plan, with investments planned to ensure responses from both the National Police and the Armed Forces. The Ministry of Defense’s position is no to the shoot-down law, with law 6.980 we are in a position to fulfill our mission,” Minister González expressed to the Bicameral Chamber.
Article 11 of law No. 6.980 clearly states the actions that the Paraguayan Air Force must take regarding the use of force: “The prohibition of the use of force or the threat of the use of force against civilian aircraft in service, except in cases of legitimate defense, does not exclude the exercise of the function of law enforcement forces in operations carried out on the ground, directed at the aircraft’s crew or its cargo during the periods of ‘in flight’ or ‘in service.’ No provision of this law will limit or prohibit law enforcement forces from demanding that the crew surrender after landing an aircraft reasonably suspected of engaging in illicit drug trafficking or any other type of illicit trafficking. No provision of this law will limit law enforcement forces from searching or seizing such aircraft and/or its cargo. This law also does not prohibit the use of lethal force against an aircraft if law enforcement forces are in danger due to armed resistance from the crew.”
Additionally, General Fullaondo clarified that the Paraguayan Air Force has the authority to shoot down aircraft if military personnel or civilians are compromised, with prior authorization from the command. He also emphasized the fluid communication with the civil authority, the National Directorate of Civil Aeronautics (Dinac), and with the prefectures of neighboring countries: Brazil, Argentina, and Bolivia.
Senator Javier Zacarías Irún, president of the bicameral commission, requested that other legislators promptly regulate law No. 6,980 to facilitate the work of the Armed Forces.
Negotiations for Radars
Regarding the purchase of radars for military use, Minister González clarified that the process is advancing.
“We estimate that we will finalize the documentation for the radars by the end of this year so that we can later discuss concrete details. Until now, it is part of the negotiations to equip the Armed Forces with what is needed. We do not want money to be invested unnecessarily,” remarked the head of the National Defense Ministry of Paraguay.
The offer from the Argentine company INVAP is ahead of other offers made to Paraguay for the radarization of the entire airspace, as stipulated by law No. 7,151, enacted last year, “Which implements the obligation to acquire and implement a radar system to cover and safeguard the entire national airspace.”
Contract with Embraer
The acquisition of six Super Tucano aircraft by the Paraguayan Air Force became a reality last July with the contract signed in Asunción by both involved parties.
General Fullaondo clarified that 5% of the total contract amount with Embraer, totaling USD 96 million, has been paid. This percentage came from the FAP’s budget for the current year, and the rest of the money will come from a bank loan directly managed by the country’s Ministry of Economy and Finance. The aircraft are scheduled to arrive on May 25, 2025, and will be numbered from 1101 to 1106.
Regarding the announcement made by the President of the Republic, Santiago Peña, about the investment of USD 500 million in security, Minister González clarified: “This initial announcement of 96 million dollars is already part of the 500 million dollars that the State will invest in the coming years, with the next investments aimed at strengthening the Army and the Navy.”
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