Lack of economic opportunities and financial hardship are leading young Paraguayans to enlist as combatants in the war between Russia and Ukraine, attracted by promises of dollar salaries that can reach ten thousand dollars monthly. At least five Paraguayans are officially missing in the conflict, with four cases registered on the Ukrainian side and one on the Russian side, according to confirmation from the Secretariat for Development for Repatriated and National Refugees (Sederrec).
The Director of Human Development at Sederrec, Guillermo Osorio, explained that there is no official confirmation from the governments of Russia or Ukraine about deaths, only missing notifications received by families. Protocols in both countries establish a period of up to one year to confirm the whereabouts of a missing combatant before declaring death. To date, no bodies have been repatriated.
Among the identified missing are Óscar Javier Sánchez, Néstor Adrián Barreto, Derlis Michael Morel, Diego Simeón Martínez, and César Parra. The case of César Parra, 32, illustrates the tragic reality behind these promises. He traveled to Russia on March 8 after incurring debt to fund the trip, signing a six-month contract. Just one month and seven days later, his family was informed that he had died in combat.
Paraguayan Foreign Minister Rubén Ramírez Lezcano denounced that the recruitment of citizens to act as mercenaries constitutes a new form of human trafficking. The statement was made during the National Forum for the Prevention, Combat, and Attention to Human Traffing "Paraguay without Trafficking." He emphasized that victims are taken deceptively to conflict zones, where some lose their lives without their bodies being located or repatriated.
Families face enormous difficulties obtaining information. Without a Paraguayan embassy in Ukraine, contacts are made through the Paraguayan Embassy in Germany. In the case of Russia, the embassy in Moscow is the official channel. Osorio stated that Sederrec has open doors to assist families, but primary information comes from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Reports from relatives describe extreme conditions on the front lines. Marcial González, who maintained contact with César Parra, reported that combatants spent days without food or water in the trenches. González also revealed that his own son, Isidro, 28 and a former member of the Presidential Escort Regiment, secretly traveled about 20 days ago to fight for Ukraine, leaving the family in constant anguish.
The Paraguayan government warns of the existence of unofficial networks that recruit citizens, often with prior military or private security experience. Authorities acknowledge the difficulty of monitoring the departure of these young people from the country and the lack of control over contract compliance and payment of promised compensation in case of death.