
Paraguayan president Federico Franco accused the Venezuelan regime of Hugo Chavez of ‘direct and malicious’ involvement in his country’s affairs in support of a ‘terrorist and criminal’ gang, the Popular Army of Paraguay, EPP, which has committed kidnappings, assaults and killings.

Mercosur is losing credibility before European countries following the recent suspension of Paraguay from the group and the later incorporation of Venezuela as full member said Paraguayan president Federico Franco who on Tuesday met with Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy.

Paraguayan president Federico Franco and Spain’s Mariano Rajoy are scheduled to meet on Tuesday at the United Nations building to talk about bilateral issues and the coming Ibero-American summit in Cadiz, next November 16/17 which has become a highly controversial issue.

Paraguay plans to publicly denounce before the United Nations General Assembly that Venezuela’s incorporation to Mercosur is illegal and so is the temporary suspension imposed on the country by the trade block, anticipated President Federico Franco.

Paraguayan president Federico Franco explained to UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon the current political situation of the country which emerged from the impeachment by the Senate of Fernando Lugo and his removal from the Executive office by an overwhelming majority, decision the ousted leader had accepted.

The Brazilian congress approved this week a bill which enables the opening of free shops or tax free shops, along border towns currently suffering from the massive inflow of imported goods purchased at international prices in such stores in Uruguay, Argentina and Paraguay.

A fierce storm packing 140-kilometer an hour winds tore across the heart of South America on Wednesday, killing five people in Paraguay and wreaking havoc in Argentina and Uruguay.

Spain has not invited Paraguay to the Ibero-American summit in Cadiz scheduled for next November confirmed Paraguayan Foreign minister Jose Felix Fernandez Estigarribia, who also admitted that the number of countries ‘disgusted’ with the new administration of President Federico Franco has diminished considerably.

President Federico Franco and the head of the Spanish government Mariano Rajoy will address the participation of Paraguay in the coming Ibero-American summit scheduled for November in Cadiz, taking advantage of their presence in New York next week for the UN General Assembly.

A top Spanish official made a low profile and unexpected visit to Paraguay last week with the purpose of trying to convince the administration of president Federico Franco to remain absent from the coming Ibero-American summit scheduled for November since Madrid fears his presence could turn the event into a failure.