UNASUR Members to Meet in Lima over Paraguayan Situation

Ecuadorian President Rafael Correa announced today that the heads of State of the Union of South American Nations (UNASUR) will meet in Lima on Wednesday, June 27, to discuss the Paraguayan situation following the recent coup d’ etat in that South American nation.

We have been summoned to a meeting in Peru next Wednesday, in which Ecuador will propose to implement the Democratic Clause.

We cannot support maneuvers with a legal cover, said Correa after stressing that legal procedures have been violated to remove Fernando Lugo from his presidential post.

Foreign Minister Ricardo Patiño added that the Council of Heads of State should not only evaluate the political crisis in that country, but also take into consideration that Paraguay has the pro-tempore presidency of that organization and it cannot be in the hands of an illegitimate government.

Patiño clarified that President Ollanta Humala made the call to the meeting for Wednesday because it is Peru who would assume the next UNASUR Presidency.

The Foreign minister called the removal of Lugo a parliamentary coup d’ etat, and stated that among pretexts used to overthrow the Paraguayan president some are unusual, as it is to allow a political meeting of young people and to sign a protocol of Mercosur democracy, similar to UNASUR and Latin American’s.

He also mentioned the serious incident of the death of various people in a recent land eviction, which was ordered by the government, and noted that Ecuador does not recognize the illegitimate government recently installed in Paraguay. (Taken from PL)