Based: Paraguayan prosecutor Irma Llano is honored by Italy for her role in cooperation against cybercrime.

The Paraguayan prosecutor Irma Llano will receive this Sunday the Order of the Star of Italy, one of the distinctions that the Italian State grants to foreign citizens who contribute to strengthening cooperation, friendship, and exchange between Italy and other countries. The recognition will be presented in Asunción during an official ceremony in Plaza Italia, as part of the commemoration of the Italian Republic Day. The ceremony will be led by the Italian ambassador to Paraguay, Marcello Fondi, and will be attended by the Paraguayan Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Víctor Verdún.

The decoration particularly highlights Llano's work in the area of cybercrime, judicial cooperation, and international coordination. Since 2018, the prosecutor has served as the designated representative of the Attorney General's Office at the head of the Specialized Unit for Cyber Crimes of the Public Ministry. In that role, she also acts as an institutional contact point for international networks related to digital crimes, such as the Organization of American States and the Council of Europe.

Ambassador Marcello Fondi explained the significance of the recognition and focused on the strategic value of international criminal cooperation. “Prosecutor Llano is a very important player for Italy in the development of cooperation in the fight against drug trafficking and other international crimes,” he stated.

According to the diplomat, the link between Italy and Paraguay includes training among officials and prosecutors, joint investigative activities, and judicial cooperation in cases where international crime also involves Italian citizens in Latin America.

Why Italy chose Irma Llano

The choice of Irma Llano is mainly linked to her participation in international cooperation mechanisms against cybercrime. According to the Italian diplomatic representation, her role was significant in coordinating joint actions among prosecutors, security forces, and agencies from different countries. Her involvement in training and technical exchange programs, essential for addressing cross-border crimes that require coordinated responses, was also highlighted.

One of the central points of her career is her participation in processes related to Paraguay's adherence to the Budapest Convention on Cybercrime, one of the main international instruments in the field promoted by the Council of Europe. This treaty seeks to facilitate cooperation among states in the face of digital crimes, preservation of electronic evidence, and transnational investigations. In this context, Llano's work was valued as part of an agenda for institutional modernization in an increasingly complex area.

The prosecutor has also participated in investigations into transnational cyber crimes and in joint operations with foreign agencies. Her profile combines judicial experience, technical cooperation, and coordination with international organizations, a type of role that is increasingly necessary in the face of criminal networks operating beyond physical borders. Additionally, she had previously received recognitions from the German embassy and the Argentine Federal Police for her cooperation in cases related to digital crimes.

Fondi emphasized to Infobae that Italy grants this type of decoration to foreign citizens who stand out for strengthening bilateral ties. “Every year, Italy selects a group of foreign citizens who have significantly contributed to the development of bilateral cooperation, also in this delicate framework,” he noted.

In Llano's case, that contribution lies in a sensitive area: the fight against complex crimes, drug trafficking, judicial cooperation, and cybercrime.

What is the Order of the Star of Italy

The Order of the Star of Italy is a state decoration originally created in 1947 and reformulated by Law No. 13 of February 3, 2011. It is awarded by the President of the Italian Republic at the proposal of the Chancellor and recognizes contributions to the promotion of cooperative, friendly, or exchange relations between Italy and other countries. It can distinguish careers in professional, institutional, scientific, cultural, or economic fields.

The recognition that Irma Llano will receive corresponds to the initial grade of the order, called Knight. This is the first of five categories provided in the decoration system, followed by Officer, Commander, Grand Officer, and Grand Cross. Although it is the initial grade, its delivery has strong diplomatic value because it expresses formal recognition from the Italian State of a career considered relevant to the bilateral relationship.

Fondi explained that the distinction is not reserved solely for Italian citizens. “It is a decoration reserved not only for Italian citizens but also for foreign citizens who have distinguished themselves in their professional or cultural activities to strengthen the bond of friendship between Italy and Paraguay, in all fields: professions, industry, commerce,” he indicated.

He also noted that the President of the Italian Republic decided to take advantage of National Day to recognize the high merits of foreign citizens in various sectors.

The event will be open to the public and will take place in Plaza Italia in Asunción. “It will be an event open to all citizens because for us it is important to have good relations with all Paraguayans,” the ambassador added.

Cybercrime, cooperation, and an expanding bilateral relationship

Cooperation against cybercrime between Italy and Paraguay has intensified in recent years, in parallel with the global rise in digital crimes. Fondi warned that “cybercrime is becoming increasingly dangerous and important for all countries” and that the volume of transnational cyber-origin crime is constantly increasing. For the ambassador, it is a criminal modality that “knows no borders” and requires permanent channels for information exchange.

The diplomat explained that this exchange is not built automatically. “Facilitating the exchange of information is not something given: it must be built daily,” he stated. Moreover, he emphasized that information related to cybercrime is very confidential and affects not only databases of financial institutions but also individual citizens.

According to Fondi, Italian legislation in this area derives from European Union directives that seek to balance the fight against cybercrime with the protection of personal data. In this sense, Paraguay appears as a relevant partner due to the rapid development of its economy, especially in the financial sector. The ambassador stated that this progress makes cooperation with Italian and European authorities even more important.

However, the bilateral relationship is not limited to the area of security. Italy also promotes the expansion of commercial ties with Paraguay within the framework of the agreement between Mercosur and the European Union, with interest in industrial sectors, machinery, and primary production. Fondi explained that the export systems of both countries are complementary: Paraguay produces agricultural and mining raw materials, while Italy can provide industrial machinery to strengthen Paraguayan productive development.

Another central element is the Italian-origin community in Paraguay. According to diplomatic estimates, about 20% of the Paraguayan population has Italian ancestry, which serves as a historical, cultural, and emotional bridge between the two countries. “The presence of the Italian diaspora in Paraguay is an asset,” Fondi affirmed, although he clarified that Italy seeks to engage with all Paraguayans and not limit its relationship to that community.