Indigenous brigade of the EPP would have kidnapped Óscar Denis 0:23
(CNN Spanish) -
The Government of Paraguay reported this Thursday that its priority is to rescue former Vice President Óscar Denis Sánchez and his assistant Adelio Mendoza, who were kidnapped this Wednesday by an armed group in the north of the country.
"The State security forces are ready to rescue the rule of law and the support of the citizens, whose support in turn is needed by the Government to carry out a national crusade against organized crime and organized armed groups," said the Minister of the Interior, Euclides Acevedo.
The hierarch spoke from the Amambay department, some 460 kilometers from Asunción, where the kidnapping took place.
Acevedo said that the responsibility for this crime has not yet been determined with certainty because those responsible have not been communicated and there is no request for ransom.
He added that they presume that it was the self-proclaimed Paraguayan People's Army (EPP), since they found some pamphlets at the place of the kidnapping.
According to investigators, the truck where the former vice president was traveling was left with the doors open.
Inside there were at least three pamphlets with the same statement attributed to the so-called Indigenous Brigade of the EPP.
A local television station showed the document attributed to the group, in which it is read that they will apply "revolutionary justice to bosses, administrators, foremen or farm thugs, Brazilian soybeans and Mennonites who mistreat, abuse and run over indigenous communities."
Representatives of law enforcement agencies said the letter has the terms commonly used by the EPP.
The place of the kidnapping is about 30 km from Yby Yau, the area where on Wednesday of last week the operation of the Joint Task Forces against the EPP was carried out in which two 11-year-old girls died.
The testimony of the daughters of Óscar Denis Sánchez
The former vice president's daughters held a press conference on Thursday.
They were concerned about the health of their 74-year-old father and provided a list of medications that he must take several times a day.
"He is an elderly person with type 2 diabetes. He is hypertensive, he also has heart problems," said Beatriz Denis.
According to the family, Oscar Denis Sánchez was working on his stay in Bella Vista in the Amambay Department when he received a call for help from the wife of an employee, who said that the man had run over a cow with his motorcycle and needed help.
According to the account, Denis Sánchez responded to the call with his assistant Adelio Mendoza, who is also missing.
The family asked the captors to communicate to hear their requests.
Adelio Mendoza, Denis's assistant, is a member of an indigenous community in the area.
According to representatives of that community, he is 21 years old and is part of the Paĩ Tavyterã people.
Digna Morilla, an indigenous leader, spoke on behalf of her people and demanded that the criminal group release both of them within 24 hours.
Otherwise, she said, "they will go into the mountains to look for Adelio."
Morilla commented that Denis Sánchez employs about 30 members of ethnic groups in the area and that he is known for helping indigenous communities.
He also denounced the EPP "for recruiting indigenous children to use them as human shields."
Government says it will not negotiate with kidnappers
President Mario Abdo Benitez arrived at the kidnapping area this Wednesday night "to find out what happened, to give support to the family and the troops," according to the government.
He planned to stay in the area until this Thursday.
Meanwhile, Vice President Hugo Velázquez emphasized that the Government will not negotiate with the kidnappers.
“The government is going to respond and act relentlessly.
Zero possibility of negotiation and we are going to persecute them until we have them all tried and sentenced in jail, "he said this Thursday.
The Paraguayan authorities attribute several kidnappings to the EPP, including that of Cecilia Cubas.
The daughter of former President Raúl Cubas was found dead weeks after her disappearance in 2004.
Paraguayan People's Army