Conservative businessman Horacio Cartes was sworn in as president of Paraguay on Thursday, amid slowly improving relations with South American neighbors, and Mercosur members, damaged by the 2012 removal of populist President Fernando Lugo, who was impeached on incompetence.
Most presidents and top authorities that will attend the inauguration of Paraguayan president-elect Horacio Cartes on Thursday morning arrived in Asunción on Wednesday and most of them have already held private meetings with the future leader of the country.
The priority of the incoming Paraguayan government of president-elect Horacio Cartes who takes office on Thursday is to recompose bilateral relations with the region’s countries and from then on begin negotiations for the return to Mercosur, said Eladio Loizaga a veteran diplomat who on Tuesday was confirmed as future Foreign affairs minister.
Ecuador regrets that Paraguay has not invited Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro (who is also currently president of Mercosur) to the inauguration of president Horacio Cartes next Thursday, 15 August, said Ecuadorean foreign minister Ricardo Patiño,
Argentine President Cristina Fernandez confirmed by writing that she would be attending the inauguration of Paraguayan president Horacio Cartes next Thursday 15 August, according the organization committee of the event in Asuncion, Ambassador Federico Gonzalez and head of Protocol at the Paraguayan foreign ministry.
Paraguay meat industry exports in the first seven months of the year reached 839 million dollars, which is 45% higher than the same period a year ago (577m) according to official data from the National Livestock quality and health services, Senacsa.
Brazilian president Dilma Rousseff officially confirmed her attendance to the inauguration ceremony of Paraguayan president-elect Horacio Cartes next 15 August, according to the Transmission Committee that is coordinating the event
Paraguay and Mexico have made significant advances in reaching a trade agreement in the framework of the Latinamerican Integration Association, ALADI, according to Paraguayan diplomatic sources.
Influential Latin American newspapers have been extremely critical of Brazilian diplomacy in its unsuccessful attempts to ‘subdue Paraguay’, while at the same praising the landlocked country’s dignity in demanding from Mercosur respect and compliance with the rule of the law.
Paraguay’s incoming government foreign policy advisor Eladio Loizaga downplayed Mercosur veiled warning calling for a quick return of the country to the block because ‘Paraguay is landlocked and needs the Parana River and the River Plate to reach the sea’.