MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Paraguayan president prepares ruling party purge

Paraguay's Congress rejected this week a motion to impeach President Nicanor Duarte who is running for the chair of his Colorado Party, in power since 1947, but with the more conservative nationalistic elements decisively conspiring against the government's liberal program.

The motion proposed by the opposition on grounds of illegality was rejected 39 to 37 votes with 4 abstentions. A two-thirds majority of the 80 representatives was necessary for the impeachment process to prosper.

Although opposition leaders admitted they lacked the support necessary for approval, the plea was introduced last week by the Beloved Homeland Party (PPQ), third largest political group in the country, arguing that the constitution prohibits the head of state from holding any other office.

"The fact that a (simple) majority in Congress censors his decision is a strong indication of what the great majority of citizens also think" said opposition Congressman Rafael Filizzola.

However Benjamin Maciel from the ruling coalition disagreed, arguing that the result "was a defeat for the opposition". The outcome was also supported by the main opposition group, the True Radical Liberal Party (PLRA), as well as by representatives of the National Union of Ethical Citizens Party led by ex-Gen. Lino Oviedo, now serving a 10-year sentence in military prison for an attempted coup in 1996.

The opposition says that Duarte's candidacy violates Article 237 of the Constitution, which bans the head of state from undertaking any other public or private office, whether remunerated or not.

Duarte now has the way free to put his political campaign in high gear with a view to the party's internal elections set for February 19, when the "Colorados" will shake up their executive council and rank-and-file organizations.

In the internal voting Duarte's principal opponent will be entrepreneur and former sports director Osvaldo Dominguez Dibb, a favourite of conservatives and nostalgic admirers of the Alfredo Stroessner dictatorship (1954-89).-

Paraguay is one of the most backward countries in South America, located in the heart of the continent next to Argentina and Brazil, and traditionally has been a have for all kind of smugglers.

However in a globalized world with an important terrorism awareness ingredient, the Duarte administration, contrary to previous governments, has decisively aligned behind United States which is openly rejected by the party's nationalistic hardliners.