THE OUSTING OF PRESIDENT FERNANDO LUGO GIVES SOUTH AMERICA THE JITTERS
25th June 2012

Federico Franco has sworn in Paraguay’s new government on Monday, despite protests and threats from other South American countries at the impeachment and removal of Lugo on Friday. Many countries have called back their ambassadors, including Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay and Franco’s administration can expect to be snubbed and ostracised, both politically and economically. Venezuela has already declared that it will cut off fuel sales to Paraguay.

Lugo was not so lucky with his friends at home. His allies from the Liberal Party had withdrawn their support a few days earlier and it only took six hours for Congress, which is dominated by the opposition, to oust him a year before the natural end of his mandate. The pretext was the handling of the mid–June Canindeyú land riots that cost the lives of six police and 11 protesters.

With a history of coups and counter-coups that rocked the southern continent in the 1970s and 1980s, it is not surprising that neighbouring countries should be alarmed. If they had to be impeached every time a Canindeyú-like incident occurred, most would not even have made it through their parliament doors! Due process may have been followed by the Paraguayan Congress, but that does not make its decision right or in the best interest of the country or the region. Logo’s allies abroad do well to support him and their resilience in this case may prove their own salvation.