MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Paraguay takes over pro tempore presidency of Gafilat

Alcaraz has always been focused on the Gafilat since taking over the Seprelad

Paraguay's Liliana Elizabeth Alcaraz Recalde, who heads the South American country's Secretariat for the Prevention of Money and Asset Laundering (Seprelad), took over the pro tempore presidency of the Latin American Financial Action Task Force (Gafilat) for the period 2024 during the XLVIII Meeting held at the exclusive Uruguayan beach resort of Punta del Este between Dec. 11 and 15. Guatemala's Jorge Marroquín was appointed Vice-President.

Upon taking office this year at the helm of Seprelad following President Santiago Peña's inauguration, Alcaraz underlined that the challenge ahead lay in strengthening the agency to comply with Gafilat standards, which was one of the goals of the new administration.

Gafilat is an intergovernmental organization that brings together 17 countries from South, Central, and North America. It is tasked with preventing and combating money laundering, the financing of terrorism, and the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction.

It also provides specialized technical assistance to public and private organizations; promotes compliance with the 40 recommendations through its mutual evaluations and develops policy-improving standards.

The plenary of representatives is made up of delegates appointed by each member state and chaired by the president and vice-president, who are elected for a one-year term.