ENJOYING RETIREMENT IN PARAGUAY: A DEADLY CHOICE FOR FOREIGNERS?

The recent finding of the remains of a 69-year-old dutch, apparently tortured and killed by asphyxia, arose the question on whether Paraguay is really or not a “friendly place” for retired foreigners, who, convinced by the country’s dreamy reputation, seek solace and tranquility for the last years of their lives in this small South American country.

The most recent case of retired europeans residents killed in Paraguay is the murder of Janz Zanoli, whose corpse was found yesterday at a house located in a suburb of the capital Asuncion. Apparently, the Dutch was murdered two days earlier. According to preliminary information released by the local press, the man could have been tortured before he was asphyxiated with a plastic bag, which was found covering the body's head and secured around the neck with packing tape. Burglary is considered the principal motive of the crime, the local police said.

Since 2006, nearly 20 europeans residents were murdered (link), most of them in attacks related to money burglary. Many crimes were perpetrated against couples, meanwhile others murders were committed against men living alone.
The victim’s profile fits lonely men or couples, already retired, with minimal skills in the country’s language. Most of them living in estates 50 to 100 kilometers away from the capital. Many of the criminal offenses were carried on by Paraguayans, who were working for the victims or were acting as "friends", even though, some times, the deadly attacks came from others european residents. Normally, perpetrators are caught and sent to jail, where they would wait a long time before they will be brought to trial.

Until just recently, Paraguay was being considered as an ideal destination for retired Anglo-saxons. however, with a present unstoppable wave of violence and crime shaking nearly every substrate of the paraguayan society, the easy-going mesopotamy of South America seems not to be anymore a recommended spot to enjoy peacefully the last years of any life devoted to work, specially not for naive foreigners.

Murder followed by suicide raise suspicion among victims relatives

The deaths of a 54-year-old farmer and his 18-year-old girlfriend, on last Sunday, appear to be a typical case of murder followed by suicide, even though "it is too soon" to have a conclusive opinion on "what really had happened" the male victim’s relatives said. The case took place at San Juan Nepomuceno, a small town located at 249 kilometers from Asuncion, in the province of Caazapa.

The corpses of Victoriano Escobar Vargas and his girlfriend Mirna Cuba Melgarejo were found by Gregorio Cuba Ortigoza, father of the young girl. Supposedly, Escobar telephoned  Cuba and told him that “there was a problem” and asked him to go “to see it”.

Apparently, Escobar shot his girlfriend four times before turning the weapon on himself, the local press said.

The farmer’s body was found in a sitting position, the gunshot wound was located on his right side ear and one .38 revolver was close to the corpse, while the teen’s body was found naked and lying on the ground, on her back.

There are not precise information yet whether the wounds were on the back of the young woman, but - according to local sources - the preliminary conclusion is that the man killed the teenager and then he has killed himself.

However, Ramon Escobar, brother of the male victim, doubted that Victoriano Escobar has committed suicide. “It is to soon to have a conclusión. There is a problem of legal inheritance over a house and a estate within the family, among ourselves. On a whole, we are fourteen brothers and sisters. Victoriano was questioning that situation and now he is dead. it is very suspicious”, the relative said.