Paraguay: German man arrested trying to enter US Embassy
June 21, 2023
A German citizen in a bulletproof vest was arrested on Tuesday after he tried to enter the US Embassy in Paraguay without the required documentation.
The police later found a Glock pistol, a rifle with a telescopic sight, a drone and 30 to 50 bullets in his vehicle, said Paraguayan police commander Gilberto Fleitas. A device which would allow the pistol to fire like an automatic weapon was also found, he said.
What led to the arrest?
Identified as Philipp K., the man told authorities he wanted to request political asylum because he was being threatened, Fleitas said.
"According to [the suspect's] version, he called the embassy asking to speak to a diplomatic representative but the person who attended his call said he should contact the German Embassy," he said.
The man then drove to the US Embassy in an attempt to enter but was arrested since he did not have an appointment or documents.
The US Embassy in Paraguay is yet to issue a statement on the incident.
Paraguay police are currently in touch with the German Consulate in Asuncion to obtain the man's details.
According to initial information, Fleitas said that K. was probably a mechanic for tractors and trucks from Independencia — a town in the south of the country dominated by German immigrants.
Editor's note: DW follows the German press code, which stresses the importance of protecting the privacy of suspected criminals or victims and obliges us to refrain from revealing full names in such cases.
mk/rt (AP, dpa)