The vice president of Paraguay and the legal counsel for the Yacyretá Bi-National Entity have been designated by the United States for bribing a public official and meddling in public affairs.

Hugo Velazquez, the vice president of Paraguay, and Juan Carlos “Charly” Duarte, the legal counsel for the operator of the Yacyretá Dam jointly owned by Paraguay and Argentina, received the designation, according to an Aug. 12 State Department news release issued by U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken.

“This public designation is made under Section 7031(c) of the Department of State, Foreign Operations and Related Programs Appropriations Act, 2022,” Blinken said, according to the release.

Duarte reportedly offered to bribe a Paraguayan public official to obstruct an investigating threatening the vice president and his financial interests, the release reported. Duarte is a close, personal friend of Velazquez.

“Corrupt acts such as these also contribute to diminished confidence in the government and public perceptions of corruption and impunity within the office of the Paraguayan vice president,” Blinken said, according to the release.

The act of corruption Duarte committed abused and exploited his privileged position the Yacyretá Bi-National Entity, Blinken said in the release. That risked damaging public confidence in a vital economic asset for Paraguay.

According to the release, the designation extends to the family members of Duarte and Velazquez.