Paraguay and Colombia on Tuesday signed a cooperation pact in which they agree to work together to fight terrorism and organized crime.
Colombian Foreign Minister Jaime Bermudez met with his Paraguayan counterpart Hector Lacognata in Asuncion, Paraguay, to sign the agreement.
Bermudez told a press conference that his nation and Paraguay have “common interests,” and said he hoped that the pact would fortify and energize relations between the two countries.
“You can count on us. We are prepared to continue to support and monitor projects of technical cooperation,” Colombia’s foreign minster said.
For nearly a decade Colombia has supplied Paraguay with technical advice on security matters.
In January of this year, agents from Colombia’s elite military squad advised Paraguayan security forces on how to deal with the kidnapping of prominent Paraguayan cattle rancher Fidel Zavala by a left-wing guerrilla group.
According to Paraguayan media, the Colombians were instrumental in securing Zavala’s release on January 18.
Bermudez said that he hopes that new direct air services between Asuncion and Bogota will increase commercial cooperation between the South American countries.