MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Paraguayan president meets Bush next week in White House

Paraguay Pte. Fernando Lugo

Paraguay President Fernando Lugo will meet President George Bush at the White House on October 27. The visit provides an opportunity “to reaffirm our strong relationship with Paraguay” said a release from the US Executive.

"The two leaders will discuss a range of issues, including deepening our bilateral efforts to advance economic development and social justice, assisting Paraguay in fighting corruption and expanding its formal economy, and addressing the security challenges posed by transnational criminal activity". Paraguay is a founding member of Mercosur and traditionally has been a close ally of United States, although the land locked country is in the immediate area of Brazilian influence. The US is very much concerned about activities in Ciudad del Este, in the triple border (with Argentina and Brazil), a smugglers haven, where allegedly some groups financially support radical Islamic groups in the Middle East. President Lugo, a former Catholic bishop took office last August promising to end corruption, raise incomes and improve land distribution. His winning coalition put an end to over sixty years of hegemonic rule (dictatorial and with elected officials) from the Colorado Party. Things have not been easy for President Lugo who has been pressed by impatient organized landless peasants. Over the weekend his administration sent dozens of extra police to a poor rural region where peasant farmers are threatening to invade Brazilian-owned ranches. Interior Minister Rafael Filizzola said 100 extra police would be sent to patrol the impoverished central province of San Pedro, a focus of tension between landless peasants and wealthy landowners, some of whom are from neighbouring Brazil. In San Pedro, where Lugo served as bishop for more than 10 years, militant peasants vowed last week to launch a wave of invasions of Brazilian-owned farms in the area next week to press their demands for land. Government ministers have said any land reform program will respect private property and have warned that anyone involved in farm occupations will be prosecuted.