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A Paraguayan prosecutor was shot dead earlier this week during his honeymoon in Colombia: Marcelo Pecci was considered one of the most important investigators against organized crime in Paraguay.
In addition to the police in Colombia and Paraguay, the FBI in the USA is also clarifying the many unanswered questions in the Pecci murder case. A case that may never be solved.
“They shot my husband three times”
It was the sixth day of their honeymoon, probably the happiest: Marcelo Pecci’s wife announced on social media that they were becoming parents for the first time. Just two hours later, the father-to-be was dead.
The widow Claudia Aguilera describes the course of events to a radio station in Paraguay: “Two strangers approached the beach where our hotel was on a jet ski. They shot my husband three times.”
Legend:
The 45-year-old prosecutor fought drug-related crime in his country. The killers apparently approached from the water.
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Marcelo Pecci, 45, was a drug trafficking prosecutor: the man behind the investigations into Paraguay’s biggest money laundering and organized crime cases. Internationally known because, for example, in 2020 he Brazilian footballer Ronaldinho arrested.
Reprisal of the drug mafia?
Why was Pecci killed? The murder was a retaliation of the drug mafia. The Director of the Colombian National Police, Jorge Vargas, told the media: “Prosecutor Pecci was involved in cases that play a role not only in Paraguay, but also in the international drug trade.”
The murder sparked consternation in Paraguay. Attorney General Sandra Quiñonez told a media conference that the killing was a clear message from organized crime to investigators that was disrupting their business.
Legend:
Paraguayan Attorney General Sandra Quiàonez (right) is shocked by the killing of the high-ranking prosecutor – she suspects that it was a retaliatory killing.
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«We will continue this fight, now in the name of Marcelo Pecci. We will fight against everything related to drug trafficking and organized crime,” Quiñonez said.
This statement should be treated with caution: Paraguay is becoming more and more important as a drug smuggling route. The country, in the middle of the continent, is not only the largest marijuana producer in the region, but also the main route for cocaine to Europe. Paraguay is also considered the second most corrupt country in South America, right behind the crisis-ridden Venezuela – the judiciary and politicians are considered very corrupt.
Prosecutor Pecci was one of the few who regularly put politicians in prison. In view of this, it is unlikely that his murder will really be solved. And in general, his death is likely to be a major setback in the fight against crime in Paraguay.