Paraguay Suspended From Mercosur
Mercosur members decided on Sunday 24 June to suspend with immediate effect Paraguay from the Latin American organisation.
In particular, Paraguay will not participate in the in the coming Mercosur summit and preparatory meetings set to begin Monday until next Friday in Mendoza. The decision was taken following the removal of President Fernando Lugo.
In fact, last Friday Paraguay’s opposition-dominated Senate voted to remove President Lugo from power, claiming mismanagement following land clashes that left seventeen dead earlier this month. Vice President Federico Franco was sworn in moments later and announced his cabinet Monday. Paraguay claimed to follow due legislative process, but the rapidity of the procedure alarmed its neighbors. Paraguayan president Franco denied “any kind of coup and said the Paraguayan constitution had been fully complied during the removal process”.
The signatory countries of the release from the Argentine ministry include Mercosur full members Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay and associate members Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Peru and Ecuador. A joint statement also announced that ulterior measures are to be adopted to sanction the current regime of Paraguay for having broken democratic order.
Francesca Ghersenti. International Democracy Watch. 27 June 2012.