MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Requests for dismissal of Paraguay's Interior Minister keep piling up

“Everyone agreed that Minister Giuzzio (L) should leave,” Alliana told President Abdo

Paraguay's Colorado Party Chairman Pedro Alliana Friday once again asked President Mario Abdo Benítez to dismiss Interior Minister Arnaldo Giuzzio (PDP), due to the latter's failure to unblock the roads besieged by striking truckers.

Alliana also conveyed his dissatisfaction to Abdo for allowing Giuzzio to stay in office after of the burning of the headquarters of the Colorado Party.

“Everyone agreed that Minister Giuzzio should leave due to the lack of action and the prevailing insecurity in the country and, especially, because of what happened at the time of the demonstrations where a few thugs went to set businesses and vehicles on fire, and also a sector of the Colorado Party”, Alliana said.

Alliana also insisted that the inaction, the prevailing insecurity, the lack of management, the gunning down of police officers, the state of the Lince Group and the blocking of roads are serious causes to expel current minister from the Progressive Democratic Party (PDP).

“We believe that it is time for him Giuzzio to leave, today we are just steps away from completing three years of government; even he is a person who does not represent the Colorado Party, on top of that he is the minister with the worst performance,” Alliana added in a radio interview.

“The country is stopped because of the truckers and transporters, denying the opportunity to those people who work and who produce, those who move the economy of the country,” he said regarding the consequences of the suppression of the constitutional right to free transit.

Colorado Party adherents also fear the minister's poor performance will affect the next elections in 2023, due to which they request Giuzzio's resignation.

Club of Executives of Paraguay President Jaime Egüez agreed on Giuzzio's “total incapacity” to handle a crisis given the inaction of public forces to guarantee free movement. “If he doesn't have the capacity (to solve the problem), he has to resign,” Egüez said. “We have to demand that they protect us and the authorities fulfill their role,” he added.