International

SP Member of Parliament Harry van Bommel has asked Foreign Minister Uri Rosenthal for his views on the ousting of Paraguay’s President Lugo. ‘President Lugo took a stand for the poor in his country, but was thrown out of office on Friday evening by means of an extraordinarily rapid procedure. There’s quite clearly something fishy about this.’

Almost immediately after President Lugo’s ousting Paraguay’s neighbours made clear that they did not approve the removal. A number of different countries have since then described what occurred as a coup. Argentine, Brazil, Venezuela, Chili, Uruguay and Colombia have recalled their ambassadors for consultations. Venezuela has even stopped its deliveries of oil to the country.

‘The recent history of Latin America showed a clear development towards more democracy,’ notes Van Bommel. ‘It is of the greatest importance that this be consolidated. There are strong indications that what the event in Paraguay comes down to is a parliamentary coup. That’s extremely worrying, which is why I’d like the minister to call on the ambassador and demand an explanation of the removal of the democratically elected President Lugo.’