Mercosur Foreign ministers announced in Brasilia on Thursday that the suspension of Paraguay from the group stands at least until the coming presidential election on April 2013.
Paraguay must continue suspended from Mercosur following the group’s presidential summit on Friday, anticipated the head of the Latin American desk from the Brazilian Foreign ministry, Antonio Jose Ferreira Simoes.
Paraguay declared “entirely unacceptable” statements from Brazilian Foreign minister Antonio Patriota who said that the April 2013 elections are “only an important step to re-examine” the country’s suspension from Unasur and Mercosur. Patriota’s statement was supported by Argentina.
The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) condemns the murder in Paraguay of human rights defender Vidal Vega, leader of the Campesinos sin Tierra movement (Landless Campesinos) and president of the Committee of Relatives of Victims of the Curuguaty Massacre and urges the State of Paraguay to investigate and clear up these crimes, and punish those who perpetrated and masterminded them.
The head of the Organization of Americas States, OAS electoral observers’ mission said that Federico Franco was the legitimate democratic president of Paraguay committed to holding transparent elections next April, elections which nobody in the world questions.
The Paraguayan economy is poised to expand 11.3% next year propped by the strong recovery from agriculture according to Pricewaterhouse Coopers, an estimate far more optimist than the 9.5% of the government budget.
The Paraguayan congress was strongly supported at the Latinamerican Parliament, Parlatino, which during the XXVIII ordinary session voted against an Argentine motion to have it suspended.
Paraguay complained bitterly Unasur (Union of South American Nations) decision to confirm the suspension of the country from the group until next April 2013 when elections are scheduled. The decision was described as a ‘systematic persecution’ and ‘interventionism’ of Paraguay, which is contrary to basic principles enshrined in the UN charter.
The Union of South American Nations, Unasur leaders meet on Friday in Peru to consider advances to the integration process and a report on the political and electoral situation in Paraguay, which remains suspended from the group since last June.
The Organization of American States, OAS, is sending a top electoral observation official to Paraguay to sponsor national political dialogue and make preparations for the OAS mission that will be following the electoral process leading to elections.