MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Paraguay activates Mercosur cooperation to evacuate Israel

“We have strong fraternal ties” with Israel, Peña said

Paraguay's Foreign Ministry announced Sunday that a joint mechanism within Mercosur had been activated to rescue nationals of all member countries trapped in war-torn Israel.

“We have activated the Consular Cooperation Mechanism of Mercosur and Associated States Parties to coordinate efforts with the Israeli authorities to ensure the prompt return of Paraguayan tourists who are in the conflict zone,” the diplomatic agency posted on social networks from Asunción.

The ministry also said it was working to “guarantee the assistance, protection, and subsequent repatriation of nationals affected by this crisis”.

Some 160 Paraguayans are reported to be living in Israel, including a couple whose whereabouts were initially unknown but were later reported to have been killed by Hamas attackers - David and Orly Schwartzman.

“David Schwartzman was killed with his wife in the south. A big family, he has a sister who lives here and two sisters who live in Paraguay, very sad. A couple in their 70s,” Susi Schohet, another Paraguayan

living in Israel, told Radio Ñanduti.

Meanwhile, a Paraguayan influencer criticized the lack of help from Paraguay's diplomatic mission in Israel, claiming he was told the borders were closed, which he later found out was not the case.

Paraguayan President Santiago Peña expressed his support for Israel following the attacks: “All our support to the sister nation of Israel in the face of the cowardly terrorist attacks it has suffered. We condemn, reject, and repudiate these inhumane acts that are an attempt against the peace of the world and that hurt us greatly by affecting a nation with which we have strong fraternal ties,” Peña wrote on social networks.

“The Government of Paraguay strongly condemns the cowardly terrorist attacks against civilians that occurred today in Israel; Paraguay expresses its solidarity with the people of Israel and reiterates its rejection of terrorism in all its forms,” the Paraguayan Foreign Ministry said on X.

Foreign Minister Rubén Ramírez Lezcano said Monday that plans were being drafted for the safe evacuation of 160 Paraguayans in Israel. The Government's priority “is the protection of the lives of

Paraguayan citizens,” he stressed.

“We understand the anxiety to leave the territory, but for us it is a priority that Paraguayan citizens are protected. We are arranging the means to evacuate all our compatriots in an orderly and safe manner,”

he added after meeting with lawmakers.

Ramírez also said he had received information about two missing Paraguayan nationals.

Asked about the influencer who allegedly was not attended by the Embassy, he mentioned that this person intended to leave at 3 am when Israeli authorities recommended taking refuge.

“We have three plans, one is to leave through Jordan, first we must have the security granted by the Israeli government to allow that departure, then there are flights that are already planned for tourists and we must also attend those who are without flights for which we activate the Mercosur mechanism that will allow us to embark on planes from neighboring countries such as Brazil, with whom we have already agreed,” he also pointed out.