Madeleine McCann Sightings in Paraguay in January or February 2016

Summary: Local law enforcement finds no support to a British private detective’s Madeleine McCann sightings during January or February 2016 in Areguá, Paraguay.

aerial view of Areguá, scenic Paraguayan city on Ypacaraí Lake, where Madeleine McCann sightings were reported for January and February 2016: Patty P, Public Domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Anti-kidnapping divisions, four police stations, Interior Ministry personnel and local Interpol divisions are investigating reported Madeleine McCann sightings that prompted mysterious travels in southwestern Paraguay between March 4 and March 7, 2016.

An Areguá newspaper announcement discovered by Paraguay’s ABC Color Television, thanks to a tip from Big Bang! News of Argentina, became a concern of law enforcement. It called for inhabitants of Areguá, Central Department capital 12.44 miles (20.02 kilometers) from Asunción, national capital of Paraguay, to help in rescuing the missing 12-year-old. It described the native of Rothley, Leicestershire, United Kingdom, as “suffering in an indescribable manner” since abduction from Praia da Luz, Algarve, Portugal, May 3, 2007. It explained that the safe return of the twelve-year-old, who has “a smudge below the pupil” of the right eye, is worth €2 million (£2.5 million).

His live interview with ABC Color about Madeleine McCann sightings furnished the identity, the look and the voice of British private detective Miraz Ullah Ali Isa. He gave interviewers the “information that Madeleine arrived in Paraguay one or two months ago and is living in Areguá in the custody of a woman.” He held back his team’s name while describing “carrying out this work because it is right, and so that everyone knows we are a serious business.” He indicated his self-described “mission” as “to know the city of Areguá and publish an advertisement in the newspaper with the biggest circulation in the country.”

Observations that “I’m surprised that the city is so small, I thought it would be bigger” joined descriptions of taking pictures, not interviewing locals and police.

Jorge Kronawetter, Migrations Director, knows that P.I. Isa entered Silvio Pettirossi International Airport Friday, and exited Monday at 4:34 p.m. (1934 UTC), by Brazilian carrier TAM.

Sebastián Jara of Interpol Paraguay in Asunción let reporters know that “we have begun to move with all our might, but for now we have nothing.”  The fact that “Areguá is a very large and very populated city and this research caught us by surprise” means that door-to-door searches will take time.

Sanny Amarilla, Police Station Deputy Chief, noted that “if they are in the area we need to find this girl and return her to her family.” Neighborhood searches occur “where there are foreign citizens, villas, condos, to see if there is someone with a similar description that corresponds to the newspaper clipping.”

Three days of taking pictures in Areguá by P.I. Isa proved to be incomprehensible and mysterious to Interpol Paraguay and to the Ministry of the Interior.

Victor Tandi, Interpol Paraguay Chief, qualified it as “a grave error if his information was right because he’s alerting the kidnapper that he’s looking for him.”

Jalil Rachid, Interior Vice-minister, revealed: “He’s saying missing Madeleine is in Areguá and he goes there to take some pictures then returns. Obviously he left empty-handed.” He stated: “We sent personnel to Areguá but didn’t obtain any information pointing towards Madeleine being there. That’s not to say we won’t in the future.”

So the home of Paraguay’s most famous strawberries, woman (Carlota Palmerola) and writer (Gabriel Casaccia) turns out to be one of many unsubstantiated Madeleine McCann sightings.

Madeleine McCann at age 3 (left) and progressed to age 9 (right) by forensic artist Teri Blythe: Expats in Paraguay @Paraguaylife, via Twitter March 10, 2016

Acknowledgment

My special thanks to talented artists and photographers/concerned organizations who make their fine images available on the internet.

Image credits:

aerial view of Areguá, scenic Paraguayan city on Ypacaraí Lake, where Madeleine McCann sightings were reported for January and February 2016: Patty P, Public Domain, via Wikimedia Commons @ https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Areguá_Vista_aérea.JPG

Madeleine McCann at age 3 (left) and progressed to age 9 (right) by forensic artist Teri Blythe: Expats in Paraguay @Paraguaylife, via Twitter March 10, 2016, @ https://twitter.com/Paraguaylife/status/707912668850425856

For further information:

Couzens, Gerard, and Anthony Boyd. 10 March 2016. "Investigator Who Claimed Madeleine McCann Was in Paraguay 'Made Grave Error' and Could Have 'Alerted the Kidnapper.'" Mirror > News > World News > Madeleine McCann.
Available @ http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/world-news/investigator-who-claimed-madeleine-mccann-7531460

Expats in Paraguay @Paraguaylife. 10 March 2016. "Expats in Paraguay goo.gl/u38Vr Madeleine McCann Sighting: Paraguay Police Search." Twitter.
Available @ https://twitter.com/Paraguaylife/status/707912668850425856

Marriner, Derdriu. 10 March 2016. "Coloboma Eyed Madeleine McCann Lookalike Sighting in Areguá, Paraguay." Earth and Space News. Thursday.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2016/03/coloboma-eyed-madeleine-mccann.html

Marriner, Derdriu. 10 March 2016. "Madeleine McCann Areguá Sightings: Where Green Eyes Do Not Stand Out." Earth and Space News. Thursday.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2016/03/madeleine-mccann-aregua-sightings-where.html

Robson, Steve. 10 March 2016. “Explained: How bizarre advert in local paper sparked ‘Madeleine McCann in Paraguay’ frenzy.” Mirror.
Available @ http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/world-news/explained-how-bizarre-advert-local-7524180

Willis, Charlotte. 9 March 2016. “Madeleine McCann ‘Paraguay sighting’ debunked by authorities.” news.com.au.
Available @ http://www.news.com.au/world/europe/manhunt-underway-as-madeleine-mccann-seen-in-paraguay/news-story/5c6e499bc67915955743cb1e939bea92