Former Argentine senator Edgardo Darío Kueider and his secretary, Iara Magdalena Guinsel Costa, were convicted of attempted smuggling. The Specialized Economic Crimes Court, composed of judges Elsa García, Adriana Planás, and Matías Garcete, sentenced Kueider to two years in prison and Guinsel to one year and ten months, with both sentences suspended.
The case dates back to December 4, 2024, when the couple was detained at the Friendship Bridge, which connects Foz do Iguaçu to Ciudad del Este. During a routine inspection of the vehicle they were traveling in, officials found undeclared cash, including US$211,102 and G.3.9 million. The supplied reports conflict on the amount in Argentine pesos, which is not specified here.
The court found it proven that both individuals, who had entered Paraguay on at least five previous occasions, were aware of the obligation to declare the funds. The presiding judge, Elsa García, emphasized that the omission constituted an attempt to introduce goods into the customs territory outside the law.
Kueider and Guinsel remain under house arrest following their detention. According to press reports, Kueider also faces other proceedings.