Son Of Paraguayan President Arrested For Punching Party Guest
BAL HARBOUR (CBS4) - Surveillance video of a fist fight at an upscale condominium complex is getting international attention as police say it captures the oldest son of the President of Paraguay punching a tourist from Paris.
Bal Harbour Police Captain Greg Roye says that tourist, John Phillippe Afred, appeared to be intoxicated and had been asked to leave the property.
But 28-year-old Juan Pablo Cartes, whose father Horacio Cartes is the President of Paraguay, was charged with misdemeanor battery after Afred told police that Cartes had punched him in the eye.
A police report says Cartes had a "closed fist" and was "unprovoked" when he lashed out in anger.
Cartes, who was released on $1500 bond, has no prior arrests, according to a check of records.
He is a student at the Miami-Dade College Wolfson campus.
The surveillance tape released by Bal Harbour Police shows Afred walking out the front door and then re-entering the St. Regis Bal Harbour resort complex at 9705 Collins Avenue early Sunday morning.
Suddenly, police say Cartes is seen on the tape rushing towards Afred and the fist fight starts in the lobby and goes on outside the front door.
Police were able to arrest the son of the President of Paraguay because he has no diplomatic immunity.
A police report says Afred and his friends had been at a Miami Beach club earlier in the evening and then went to a social gathering that Cartes had organized at the lavish condominium.
"They came back into the condominium complex and something spilled over," Roye told CBS4's Peter D'Oench. "And you see the results. It started with a verbal altercation and turned into a physical altercation."
"According to the arrest report, the victim was intoxicated but then the subject punched him in the face," said Roye. "The officers involved did not know who he was until they prepared the arrest affidavit. This is unusual for this complex. It is very nice and high end. Usually there are no problems there."
Residents staying at the complex said they were startled by the incident. "Everyone's so nice, so I wouldn't expect it," said Grant Krause who lives in a condo at the complex.
The Paraguayan government released a statement, saying "The Cartes family deplores this incident and hopes it is cleared according to the laws of the country."
Cartes told CBS4 news partner, The Miami Herald "I wish to apologize for this bad moment, even though it wasn't my fault.
It's one of my worst days. I'd rather not go into details
