MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

President-elect demands rule of the law before Paraguay returns as active Mercosur member

Cartes insists with his first statement after the suspension of Paraguay was lifted

Paraguayan president elect Horacio Cartes confirmed that his government will insist in its position regarding Mercosur, which expects Paraguay to return as full active member following the inauguration ceremony 15 August.

“They are saying Paraguay must simply return and that is the effort and path on which we will continue, which must be the rule of the law. We are simply asking for justice so we can really return to the much desired rule of the law and institutions”, said Cartes in a media release.

Cartes was referring to Paraguay’s position following the Mercosur summit 12 July in Montevideo, when Venezuela became pro tempore president of the group, and the rest of members decided to lift the suspension imposed on Paraguay.

The land locked country was suspended from the group 29 June 2012 for the removal of Fernando Lugo, following political impeachment by the Senate which almost unanimously voted the action and Lugo accepted.

However the three full members at the time, of Mercosur, decided to suspend Paraguay for what they considered a ‘congressional coup’ and at the same time approved the incorporation as full member of Venezuela, which was pending a positive vote from Paraguay for years.

According to the Mercosur charter all major decisions are by consensus with attendance of all members.

Cartes had anticipated that his position was that restoring full relations with Mercosur depended on Paraguay taking the rotating chair of the group, and not Venezuela.

“I’m going to strongly insist with much interest in those bilateral relations, we need to be in good relations with all countries. The only thing we are asking is for justice, the rule of the law. What belongs to Paraguay, belongs to Paraguay, what belongs to Venezuela, belongs to Venezuela, that is justice” added Cartes.

“What my government is asking is for the rule of the law, respect for Paraguay and the institutions of Mercosur”, said Cartes.

Brazilian Foreign minister said earlier this week that he expects president elect Cartes to accept the return of Paraguay to Mercosur once he is inaugurated and underlined that so far ‘he is talking as a government elect but he yet has to be inaugurated”.

“Those are their opinions, not ours”, said Eladio Loizaga who is the foreign affairs advisor of Cartes. “The position of the president elect Horacio Cartes is very clear and easily understandable in its statements and to that we must refer”.