The government of Paraguay has requested the U.S. ambassador to leave the country in response to the Biden administration's sanctions on a tobacco company linked to a former president. The Paraguayan Foreign Ministry urged the U.S. government to expedite the departure of Ambassador Marc Ostfield to prevent any damage to the historically maintained relationship between the two nations.
The tensions arose following the U.S. Treasury Department's decision to impose sanctions on Tabacalera del Este, a tobacco producer accused of funneling money to Horacio Cartes, a prominent figure in Paraguay's political and business landscape. Cartes, a former president and influential member of the ruling Colorado party, has been under U.S. sanctions for alleged corruption since last year.
