MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Uruguay recommends new presidential elections for the Paraguayan crisis

Ambassador Fischer was recalled from Asuncion for consultations

Uruguay called for strict respect of the Mercosur and Unasur democratic clauses and said the best way out of the current political crisis in Paraguay was to hold presidential elections as soon as possible.

The Uruguayan government also recalled its ambassador in Asuncion, Enrique Fischer and supported the Mercosur statement suspending Paraguay from the coming regional group summit this week in Mendoza, Argentina.

“When presidents are elected by the people, the maximum stability guarantees must be established for that sovereign decision”, said a release from the Uruguayan Foreign Affairs ministry.

It adds that the legitimate authorities of the continent are those “born out of the popular vote, the only and true sovereign to elect them”. Thus the speed and urgency in the procedures applied during the political impeachment of President Lugo are characteristic of “a summary trial” and do not correspond with the essential guarantees of due process, particularly since the very short time given for the defence of the accused and the fact that the inquiry into the ill-fated incidents of last June 15 is yet uncompleted.

“Imposing a new president in these conditions does not coincide with fundamental democratic practice which we must perverse in the region”.

It becomes essential thus to uphold the most strict respect for the Mercosur and Unasur democratic clauses and “we expect Paraguay can call on its people and hold as soon as possible elections for new authorities”.

Lugo was just beginning his fifth and last year of his mandate with national elections scheduled for next May and the transfer of office in August 2013.