MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Despite Unasur, Colombia and Chile ambassadors are back in Paraguay

Colombian ambassador Barrantes with Paraguayan Senator Carrizosa (Photo ABC/Color)

Colombia and Chile ambassadors returned to Paraguay on Sunday after six months absence, the first two members from Unasur in doing so and in practical terms breaking the isolation imposed on the landlocked country following the political crisis which removed Fernando Lugo and had him replaced by current president Federico Franco.

Even when the return of ambassadors Jorge Barrantes and Cristina Maquieira from Colombia and Chile was hailed in Paraguay as a political victory, the two diplomats downplayed the event and were rather austere in their statements on arrival.

Ambassador Barrantes was received by Senator Miguel Carrizosa, president of the Foreign Affairs committee from the upper house and made a very brief statement, while his Chilean peer reiterated his country’s official position: he’s back to closely follow the electoral process leading to the April 2013 presidential election.

Unasur and Mercosur suspended Paraguay from the two groups until April 2013 alleging that the removal of then president Lugo was a “rupture or the democratic process”, despite the fact the impeachment result in the Senate was overwhelming and the constitutional order was strictly followed. The suspension was followed by the withdrawal from Asuncion of all ambassadors for ‘consultations’.

Senator Carrioza underlined that this first diplomatic event is highly encouraging and “opens the possibility for the regional block (Unasur) to begin to understand what really happened in Paraguay and that the institutional process and rule of the constitution was complied with at all moments”.

Even when Mercosur and Unasur suspended Paraguay, the Organization of American States, OAS, which brings together all countries of the hemisphere, abstained from any sanctions and only decided to send observers to ensure the democratic process leading to Election day and the results are respected and complied with.