MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Paraguayan indigenous group seeks help from Spain

Spanish Senator Carles Mulet has been involved in bringing assistance to the indigenous group

A Paraguayan indigenous community in the Chaco region has turned to Spain for help with the supply of drinking water and other basic resources following a lack of attention from local authorities, it was reported.

The community of Casanillo in the district of Manuel Irala Fernández, Department of Presidente Hayes, has turned to the Spanish Government, where their claims reached the Senate, according to Asunción's Última Hora.

In addition to the lack of water, the community also suffers from food shortages, poor education, lack of medicines, and the absence of medical professionals, the Paraguayan newspaper said.

In addition to that, many indigenous people also lack identity documents and the indigenous card issued by the Paraguayan Indigenous Institute (INDI).

The group has only been assisted by private citizens and by Sister Graciela Ponce, a nun who has been visiting the villages since 2016, bringing bottles of water and luring Spanish Senator Carles Mulet into helping the community.

The native group has turned to the Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation (Aecid) for further help, Última Hora explained. Sister Ponce is to hold a press conference Wednesday to elaborate on the needs of the group.

The Casanillo indigenous community of the Paraguayan Chaco is composed of about 3,000 natives of various ethnic groups, among which are Toba Maskoy, Enxet, Sanapaná, and Angaite, which in turn are subdivided into a total of five villages.

(Source: Última Hora)