Incident Summary:
01/25/2011: On Tuesday morning at about 1000, in San Juan Nepomuceno, Caazapa, Paraguay, local politician, Julio Ruben Pereira, was kidnapped by militants from the Paraguayan People's Army (EPP). The EPP demanded from Pereira's family one million USD for his release or as an alternative demanded that the Paraguayan government release Miguel Lopez Perito, leader of Gabinete and the 10 de Abril Movement in exchange for Pereira. On 01/29/2011 on Saturday at about 0400 at night, Peira managed to escape captivity and returned home. The EPP claimed responsibility through an electronic email.
Overview
GTD ID:
201101250021
When:
2011-01-25
Country:
Paraguay
Region:
South America
Province/administrative
region/u.s. state:
Caazapa
City:
San Juan Nepomuceno
Location Details:
The kidnapping took place in in San Juan Nepomuceno, Caazapa, Paraguay.
What
Attack Information
Type of Attack () |
Hostage Taking (Kidnapping) |
Type of Attack () |
Hostage Taking (Kidnapping) |
Successful Attack? () |
Yes |
Target Information ()
Target Type: Government (General) |
Name of Entity |
Local Paraguayan Government |
Specific Description |
A local politician, Julio Ruben Pereira, |
Nationality of Target |
Paraguay |
Additional Information
Hostages |
Yes |
Number of Hostages |
1 |
US Hostages |
0 |
Days of Kidnapping |
4 |
Outcome |
Hostage(s) escaped (not during rescue attempt) |
Ransom |
Yes |
Total Ransom Amount Demanded |
1000000.00 |
Ransom Amount Demanded from US Sources |
Unknown |
Total Ransom Amount Paid |
Unknown |
Total Ransom Amount Paid by US Sources |
Unknown |
Ransom Notes |
The EPP demanded from Pereira's family one million USD for his release or as an alternative demanded that the Paraguayan government release Miguel Lopez Perito, leader of Gabinete and the 10 de Abril Movement in exchange for Pereira |
Property Damage |
No |
How
Weapon Information
Type |
Sub-type |
Unknown |
|
Weapon Details |
Unknown weapons were used in the attack. |
Additional Information
Suicide Attack? | No |
Part of Multiple Incident? | No |
Criterion 1 () |
Yes |
Criterion 2 () |
Yes |
Criterion 3 () |
Yes |
Doubt Terrorism Proper () |
No |
Additional Information |
The summary of this incident was based on articles originally written in Spanish. |
Who
Perpetrator Statistics
Number of Perpetrators |
Unknown |
Number of Captured Perpetrators |
0 |
Casualty Information
Total Number of Casualties |
0 Fatalities / 0 Injured |
Total Number of Fatalities |
0 |
Number of U.S. Fatalities |
0 |
Number of Perpetrator Fatalities |
0 |
Total Number of Injured |
0 |
Number of U.S. Injured |
0 |
Number of Perpetrators Injured |
0 |
Sources
Sources
Paraguay, "Family of Vanished Politician Responds to the EPP Saying 'We Don't Have Money'," http://www.paraguay.com/nacionales/familia-de-politico-desaparecido-responde-al-epp-no-tenemos-dinero-62314 (January 28, 2011). |
Paraguay, "EPP Claims Responsibility for Hostage Taking of Leftist Politician," http://www.paraguay.com/nacionales/el-epp-se-atribuye-secuestro-de-politico-de-izquierda-62269 (January 28, 2011). |
La Nacion, "Julio Pereira Enclosed Himself in His House and Is Not Talking to the City Prosecutor or to the Press," La Nacion, January 30, 2011. |
Criteria
Criteria 1
The act must be aimed at attaining a political, economic, religious, or social goal. In terms of economic goals, the exclusive pursuit of profit does not satisfy this criterion. It must involve the pursuit of more profound, systemic economic change.
Criterion 2
There must be evidence of an intention to coerce, intimidate, or convey some other message to a larger audience (or audiences) than the immediate victims. It is the act taken as a totality that is considered, irrespective if every individual involved in carrying out the act was aware of this intention. As long as any of the planners or decision-makers behind the attack intended to coerce, intimidate or publicize, the intentionality criterion is met.
Criterion 3
The action must be outside the context of legitimate warfare activities. That is, the act must be outside the parameters permitted by international humanitarian law (particularly the prohibition against deliberately targeting civilians or non-combatants.
Doubt Terrorism Proper
The existence of a "Yes" for "Doubt Terrorism Proper?" records reservation, in the eyes of GTD analysts, that the incident in question is truly terrorism. Such uncertainty, however, was not deemed to be sufficient to disqualify the incident from inclusion into the GTD. Furthermore, such a determination of doubt is subsequently coded by GTD analysts as conforming to one of four possible alternative designations: 1) Insurgency/Guerilla Action; 2) Internecine Conflict Action; 3) Mass Murder; or 4) Purely Criminal Act.
Alternate Designation
The determination of "yes" for "Doubt Terrorism Proper" by GTD analysts is coded as conforming to one of four possible alternative designations: 1) Insurgency/Guerilla Action; 2) Internecine Conflict Action; 3) Mass Murder; or 4) Purely Criminal Act.
Successful Attack
Success of a terrorist strike is defined according to the tangible effects of the attack. For example, in a typical successful bombing, the bomb detonates and destroys property and/or kills individuals, whereas an unsuccessful bombing is one in which the bomb is discovered and defused or detonates early and kills the perpetrators. Success is not judged in terms of the larger goals of the perpetrators. For example, a bomb that exploded in a building would be counted as a success even if it did not, for example, succeed in bringing the building down or inducing government repression.
Type of Attack
This field captures the general method of attack and often reflects the broad class of tactics used. It consists of the following nine categories:
- Assassination
- Armed Assault
- Unarmed Assault
- Bombing/Explosion
- Hijacking
- Hostage taking (Barricade Incident)
- Hostage taking (Kidnapping)
- Facility / Infrastructure Attack
- Unknown
Target Information
This field captures the general type of target. It consists of the following 22 categories:
- Abortion Related
- Airports & Airlines
- Business
- Government (General)
- Government (Diplomatic)
- Educational Institution
- Food or Water Supply
- Journalists & Media
- Maritime (includes Ports and Maritime facilities)
- Military
- NGO
- Other
- Police
- Private Citizens & Property
- Religious Figures/Institutions
- Telecommunication
- Terrorists
- Tourists
- Transportation (other than aviation)
- Unknown
- Utilities
- Violent Political Parties