Paraguay and the United States signed a civil nuclear energy cooperation agreement during a ceremony in Washington. The agreement was signed by U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Paraguayan Foreign Minister Rubén Ramírez Lezcano, with the presence of Vice President Pedro Alliana.
The instrument, known as the "123 Agreement," is required under Section 123 of the U.S. Atomic Energy Act of 1954 and allows for the supply of nuclear technology for peaceful purposes, such as energy generation and scientific research. The agreement requires Paraguay to commit to comply with the rigorous standards of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and to allow supervision to ensure that materials are not diverted for military use.
Marco Rubio highlighted the extraordinary growth of bilateral relations over the past 18 months and expressed the desire for the partnership to become permanent, transcending changes in government. He stated that the agreement is clear evidence of the consolidation of ties between the two countries.
Foreign Minister Ramírez Lezcano emphasized that the strategic alliance encompasses not only bilateral security cooperation but also coordinated action on regional issues. The Paraguayan delegation also held meetings with U.S. officials, including Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau, to address the broad bilateral agenda.
Separately, President Santiago Peña held a telephone conversation with the Secretary of State, in which both emphasized the importance of regional coordination regarding the situation in Venezuela. Paraguay and the United States also jointly requested an extraordinary meeting of the Organization of American States (OAS) to address the political crisis in Nicaragua.
With this agreement, Paraguay joins other countries in the region, such as Argentina and Mexico, which already have similar civil nuclear cooperation agreements with the United States.