MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Paraguay’s president ends coup rumours replacing military commanders

Bishop turned elected president Fernando Lugo

Paraguayan President Fernando Lugo put an end Wednesday to rumors circulating the capital Asuncion about a possible coup by replacing all top military commanders. The announcement came from the armed forces themselves, not the president's office.

In his capacity as commander-in-chief, Lugo named replacements for the heads of the three services, army, air force and navy, according to a statement from the armed forces.

Earlier in the week Lugo had addressed -- and dismissed -- reports of a possible coup.

“In recent days rumors have surfaced about the placement of bombs, new kidnappings, assaults, coup d'etats,” Lugo said at a news conference.

“We are a friendly, participative government, willing to analyze the criticisms we receive, but don't confuse that for a moment with a showing of weakness,” Lugo said, adding that nothing would remove him from the presidential palace until the end of his term in 2013.

Former Catholic bishop Lugo was elected to a five-year term last year putting an end to 61 years of one-party rule in Paraguay.

Last April, Lugo admitted he fathered a child during the period he was still a priest, and that he may have possibly fathered more. The revelation hurt his campaign image and calls for his resignation began then, and have continued as Lugo has struggled to push reforms through a majority-opposition legislature.

Retired General Bernardino Soto Estigarribia, who is a presidential hopeful for 2013, said “members of the Armed Forces have a clear thinking, institutional and of respect for constitutional governance. None of them are going to play into the coup game”.

He added that “officers merit respect; you can’t change commanders at a whim so often”. The President must explain what he meant with the “remnants of coup mongering and why the changes”, said the retired General.

Since taking office in August 2008, Lugo has made four major replacements in the Navy and Army and three in the Air Force, thus bringing to command level much younger officers more independent and less cosy to the previous regime.

All the new generals, brigadiers, rear admirals and colonels now belong to officers’ promotions from 1980 onwards, according to Paraguayan military sources.