The Internal Defense Operations Command (CODI), a military force created in 2013 during the administration of then-president Horacio Cartes to combat insurgent groups in Paraguay, has accumulated total spending of $68 million since its founding, according to internal data accessed by the press. The amount mainly refers to the period after 2018, when the unit began to have its own budget, with an annual average of $8.5 million.
In a memorandum addressed to Army commander General César Moreno, CODI chief General Alberto Gaona defended the resources allocated to the force. He argued that, although the amounts may seem high, they are intended only to cover "basic operational needs" of the unit, which now operates in 40% of the territory of Paraguay's Eastern Region.
According to the document, CODI's annual budget is distributed as follows: 50% for personnel services, 25% for consumer goods and supplies, 17% for physical investment and capital goods, and the remainder for other expenses. Gaona emphasized that the force constitutes "the state's key strategic tool" against irregular groups and organized crime in the region.
CODI's performance, however, is the target of criticism for allegedly showing limited results against a small criminal group like the Paraguayan People's Army (EPP). Since 1997, the EPP has carried out at least 158 attacks, with eight incidents recorded just during the current administration of Santiago Peña, who took office in 2023.
CODI's territorial coverage was gradually expanded: initially restricted to the departments of Concepción, San Pedro, and Amambay by Law 5036/2013, the force had its area of operation extended by decrees from President Peña to Canindeyú, Itapúa, Misiones, and Ñeembucú. There are no records of expansion during the administration of Mario Abdo Benítez.