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Despite Unasur, Colombia and Chile ambassadors are back in Paraguay

Tuesday, November 13th 2012 - 03:35 UTC
Full article 4 comments
Colombian ambassador Barrantes with Paraguayan Senator Carrizosa  (Photo ABC/Color) Colombian ambassador Barrantes with Paraguayan Senator Carrizosa (Photo ABC/Color)

Colombia and Chile ambassadors returned to Paraguay on Sunday after six months absence, the first two members from Unasur in doing so and in practical terms breaking the isolation imposed on the landlocked country following the political crisis which removed Fernando Lugo and had him replaced by current president Federico Franco.

Even when the return of ambassadors Jorge Barrantes and Cristina Maquieira from Colombia and Chile was hailed in Paraguay as a political victory, the two diplomats downplayed the event and were rather austere in their statements on arrival.

Ambassador Barrantes was received by Senator Miguel Carrizosa, president of the Foreign Affairs committee from the upper house and made a very brief statement, while his Chilean peer reiterated his country’s official position: he’s back to closely follow the electoral process leading to the April 2013 presidential election.

Unasur and Mercosur suspended Paraguay from the two groups until April 2013 alleging that the removal of then president Lugo was a “rupture or the democratic process”, despite the fact the impeachment result in the Senate was overwhelming and the constitutional order was strictly followed. The suspension was followed by the withdrawal from Asuncion of all ambassadors for ‘consultations’.

Senator Carrioza underlined that this first diplomatic event is highly encouraging and “opens the possibility for the regional block (Unasur) to begin to understand what really happened in Paraguay and that the institutional process and rule of the constitution was complied with at all moments”.

Even when Mercosur and Unasur suspended Paraguay, the Organization of American States, OAS, which brings together all countries of the hemisphere, abstained from any sanctions and only decided to send observers to ensure the democratic process leading to Election day and the results are respected and complied with.
 

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  • Ayayay

    South America is friends again.

    Nov 13th, 2012 - 03:41 am 0
  • Lord Ton

    Was it really ever ??

    Nov 13th, 2012 - 05:13 am 0
  • Sergio Vega

    At least the smart sense is returning in some way to my Gvt......Our Ambassador to Paraguay had never left Asuncion because the presidential change was totally under their Constitution.....Now that CFK is loosing her power over the other Latam countries because her faulted internal & external management of the country is being recognized publicly, the first steps to return to the right path are being done....Chile never had been involved in such a stupid reaction over an internal affair of a free and democratic country....It was taken as an advantage for some falling Latam Gvts. (you know the mafia gang) to hide their own internal problems and to join illegaly Venezuela into the Mercosur.....(does it lives yet...??)....

    Nov 13th, 2012 - 11:27 am 0
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