Eric Wendt/Hoxha's speech: He identified Paraguay as one of the most powerful Albanian criminal groups

2026-05-21 21:30:00, Aktualitet CNA

Eric Wendt/Hoxha's speech: He identified Paraguay as one of the most

Journalist Artan Hoxha spoke this evening regarding the reporting of the US candidate for ambassador to Albania, Eric Wendt, in the US Senate. Invited to "Çim Peka Live" on Syri TV, Hoxha said that Wendt, with his speech, showed the main lines on which his work will be based.

He also added that from his own profile, a soldier who has served with the Green Berets, it is clear that he will be an ambassador who cannot be corrupted.

Among other things, Hoxha explained why Paraguay was highlighted during Wendt's speech. According to him, this country is the base mentioned by the most powerful Albanian criminal groups for the distribution of narcotics to four continents.

"In recent contacts with embassy representatives, the topic of conversation has been organized crime. He simply gives the main lines on which his work will be based. From the moment such a candidate is chosen, he shows a difference from previous candidates. The arrival of such a stature, a three-star lieutenant general who has served with the Green Berets, the elite unit of the US army, shows that they have sent us a man with whom you have to think carefully about what he says and listen carefully to what he says. He will speak a little like the military. You cannot process him or corrupt him. Military personnel at the end of their careers only think about their own image. The fact that Albania has been without an ambassador for 3 years and they choose a military person of this level, it should be understood that the US is deciding that there is no need for the American ambassador from Athens to come to Albania.

I was impressed that he mentioned Paraguay, which Albanian groups had mentioned as a base for distributing cocaine. The Albanian groups that have used Paraguay are the most powerful, they are Çelat, Çopjat and a group from Shijak. Çelat is a group from Peqin. The DEA has followed their shipments. All the information that the ambassador gave there was received from the DEA because only the Americans know us well for the level that Albanians transport to four major continents today. That is why Paraguay was identified. He defined the fight against drug trafficking as the main objective. This has never happened in the past. On November 13 of last year, the Treasury Department sanctioned 27 members of the Hysa family who had harmed US interests, to launder Sinaloa's money. The DEA has given him a good file that he will take with him", said Hoxha. /CNA