MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

OAS chief Insulza honoured as “a dear friend of Paraguay”

The ceremony at the Paraguayan Foreign ministry

Jose Miguel Insulza, Secretary General of the Organization of American States (OAS) received on Wednesday the National Order Award of Merit, ‘Don Jose Falcon’ from the government of Paraguay.

The honour was presented by Foreign Minister José Félix Fernández Estigarribia in a ceremony that took place at the Paraguayan Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the presence of several senior officials, including former President Juan Carlos Wasmosy, several former Foreign Ministers and the diplomatic corps.

The Foreign Minister began his remarks by calling Secretary General Insulza “a dear friend of Paraguay” adding as an expression of gratitude to Insulza that “there is only one thing more sublime than fighting for the freedom of one’s own country, and that is fighting for democracy in the Hemisphere.”

After making mention of the high positions held by Insulza in his country, and calling him “Foreign Minister,” the head of Paraguayan diplomacy said that in his country “we are freer today, with better elections and, I must recognize that we have depended on your cooperation, Foreign Minister Insulza.” He added that “as Paraguayans who are building their democracy, with applause we try to reward the man who did not leave us alone in stormy times”.

Further on Fernández Estigarribia emphasized the gratitude of the Paraguayan people for OAS chief Insulza and said he was aware that in Chile “a large majority of your fellow Chileans are asking for your presence in the search for an ever possible improved democracy” but he asked of him that “ before deciding, keep in mind what many other fellow Latin Americans think and they ask you to stay with us in the attempt to build better regional spaces”.

In his the OAS leader said that in every complex situation “I have tried to be guided by principles, because it is the only way to respect oneself,” and recalled on this point the words of Benito Juárez, citing his maxim: “Respect for others is the law.”

“There were principles to be respected and we respected them,” he said, referring to the actions of the OAS last year when Mercosur and Unasur suspended Paraguay from those regional organizations. He added that “I think the OAS acted well and correctly in ensuring that Paraguay would overcome the situation it was experiencing, and that everyone contributed to a solution.”

The Secretary General reiterated that “far from sanctioning a country, we chose to support what was needed to strengthen its democratic system and to achieve, less than a year later, a valid, participatory and peaceful election process.”

“We trust in Paraguay, we conformed to our principles and had a result that exceeded all expectations. If the award is for this, it is undeserved, because the credit goes to the Paraguayans. But I accept it with pride, because we have fulfilled our duty as we always should, with respect for the rule of the law, fundamental rights, and the sovereignty of the states”, concluded Insulza.