Showing posts with label Paraguay Elections 2008. Show all posts

[UPDATE] Today's Trial Just Rubberstamping: Paraguay's President Lugo Ousted by Congress in Widely Unpopular Impeachment & Conspiracy Comes to Light

By Christine Folch | Published Friday, June 22, 2012

UPDATE: Fernando Lugo is Deposed as President. Federico Franco will be Inaugurated. The vote was 39 to condemn him, 2 absent, 4 to absolve him. The supposed cause is a deadly fire-fight last Friday where 6 police and 11 landless farmers died.

Nuns praying for peace in Paraguay as protestors gather against Congress' impeachment of Lugo. h/t Última Hora


Paraguay's President Fernando Lugo, a Catholic Bishop who rode the wave of a grassroots movement to unseat the previously unbeatable Colorado Party in 2008, has two hours today to present a defense against charges that are seen as political posturing. In a trial by the Senate, where there are already enough votes to depose Lugo, Paraguay's brief experiment with democracy is likely to crash on the shoals of politicking.

The impeachment hearing will take place at 12pm (noon). The Senate will vote at 4:30pm. [Timeline here] [Online radio here]

Although people in Paraguay are unhappy with Lugo, many more people are unhappy with the move from congress to impeach the president because they see it as the latest action of a coterie of corrupt political elites to attain more power. Polls inside the country show that more people are against deposing Lugo than for it (54/46) and Paraguayans living abroad have voiced their strong disagreement.

The winners from the ousting of Lugo are: 1) his vice president Federico Franco, of the Liberal Party, who'll become president in his stead; 2) UNACE, a political party made up of former Colorados led by Lino Oviedo, who, rumor has it, have made a backroom deal with the Liberals to form a coalition government; 3) Colorado Party presidential candidate Horacio Cartes, accused of narcotrafficking and money-laundering and now conspiring to destabilize the government so that, in April 2013, the Colorado Party will be the only party organized enough to win the election.

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[UPDATE] The Dream Ends? Paraguay's President Fernando Lugo Impeached in a "Golpe"

By Christine Folch | Published Thursday, June 21, 2012

UPDATE: Fernando Lugo is Deposed as President. Federico Franco will be Inaugurated. The vote was 39 to condemn him, 2 absent, 4 to absolve him. The supposed cause is a deadly fire-fight last Friday where 6 police and 11 landless farmers died.

President Fernando Lugo, after the Deputies vote to impeach him, insists that he won't resign, that congress is acting against the Paraguayan electorate, and that he'll respect the constitutional process of impeachment. Photo from ABC Color.
Paraguay's congress has voted to impeach Fernando Lugo, the first non-Colorado Party president in living memory, a former Bishop who was brought to the presidency in a dramatic grassroots election in 2008. Keep in mind that Lugo's term was supposed to end in 2013 and so Paraguay is in the throes of campaigning for the 2013 elections. Although this move is "constitutional" on the part of the parliament, popular opinion (even of those who didn't vote for him) is that this was a golpe, a coup by the parliament to overthrow a democratically-elected president and install a new political coalition. People are gathering in the streets to protest. An online poll by Última Hora shows 54% of responders disagree with the ousting of Lugo.

Lugo's accusers. h/t Occu.Py


How did this happen? And, what does this mean for Paraguay?

The short answer is this: Lugo's coalition government has always been a fragile alliance and after a number of dramatic political events of the past three weeks, the major political parties have united to impeach Lugo in favor of his vice president Federico Franco (Liberal Party). This is being called a "coup" by many in Paraguay--including those who disagree with Lugo--because it's seen as a power move by congress. And it's being called a "coup" by government officials from other countries in Latin America.

In late May, a broad movement called Occu.Py, consisting of young people across the political spectrum, began a series of protests against Paraguay's congress for anti-democratic actions (creating new government jobs solely for vote-buying, rejecting a ban against "listas sábanas"--the current practice where you can only for a party, not for individual candidates). Occu.Py's momentum has grown and looked like it would create new electoral opportunities in 2013.

And then a massacre happened. [Video Here] Last Friday, a group of police officers attempted to remove a group of landless peasants (campesinos) from land that they were occupying in Eastern Paraguay. The peasants claimed that the land on which they'd built their homes was illegally claimed by a former Colorado Party senator (this was later backed up). As the police entered the estate in Curuguaty, shots rang out. A fire fight erupted and at the end, 6 police officers and 11 peasants were killed. It was recorded on a cellphone camera and gives ammunition to the claim that the peasants started it.  Because Lugo is seen as a supporter of the campesinos and a leftist, this was framed as the result of his policies.

This gave congress all the ammunition they needed to impeach Lugo and put in his place the old guard of traditional parties. On Thursday June 21, 2012, the lower house--Chamber of Deputies--voted to impeach Lugo. The Senate, which has the final vote, gave Lugo 17 hours to prepare against the final vote, to be held on Friday, June 22, 2012.

It looks like Lugo's former allies, the Liberal Party, have made a deal with one of their rival parties (probably UNACE--a group of former Colorados led by multi-billionaire drug-trafficker Lino Oviedo, who attempted a coup in 1996 and accused of planning the assassination of vice president Luis Argaña in 1999) so that Federico Franco will assume the presidency, leading a coalition government.

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Documentary Available Online: "Dios Bendiga el Paraguay"--the chronicle of Fernando Lugo's unprecedented election

By Christine Folch | Published Wednesday, June 20, 2012

Dios Bendiga el Paraguay is a documentary made by a group of filmmakers as they followed an unlikely candidate, a Bishop from a rural region of Paraguay, win the dramatic presidential election in 2008. Fernando Lugo defeated the Colorado Party candidate and ended one-party rule in April 2008. This is the story of Paraguay's first leftist president and first peaceful transition of rule in the country's history, made all the more incredibly because the Colorado Party had access to all the wealth and resources of the Paraguayan state and, in spite of massive electoral fraud, Lugo still won.

It's in Spanish (and Guaraní that's been subtitled).





DIOS BENDIGA EL PARAGUAY from Documental Paraguay on Vimeo.

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Brazil’s Senate Approves Itaipú Binacional Energy Deal: What Paraguay Should Do

By Christine Folch | Published Monday, May 16, 2011


Quick Review: Itaipú Binacional is the world’s largest hydroelectric dam. It sits across the Paraná river border between and is co-owned by Brazil and Paraguay. With an “installed capacity” of 14,000 megawatts, it churns out enough electricity to meet 19% of Brazil’s needs and 95% of Paraguay’s… or, almost enough electricity to power two New York Cities.

The Controversy: Though Itaipú’s equally owned by Brazil’s and Paraguay’s public electricity companies, the energy isn’t split evenly because Paraguay’s market isn’t big enough. So, as part of the original treaty (1973) between the two countries, Paraguay sells the vast majority of its electricity (80% of its half) to Brazil. For this energy, Eletrobrás (the Brazilian energy company) pays Paraguay about $2.80 per megawatt hour and then has marked it up anywhere between $20 and $80 on its own market, pocketing the difference.* Three years ago, the unthinkable happened in Paraguay: the ruling party lost the presidential election for the first time in living memory. Former Bishop Fernando Lugo (and a lefty, to boot) won the 2008 election, campaigning on a promise to renegotiate this financial arrangement and to then use the money to invest in social development.

The Resolution: High-level negotiations began between Paraguay and Brazil, resulting in a dramatic agreement between Brazilian President Lula da Silva and Paraguayan President Lugo in July 2009, which called for (among other things):

1) a three-fold increase in what Eletrobrás pays Paraguay for Paraguay’s half of the energy—an annual increase from ~$120million to ~$360million (that’ll end in 2023)

2) Paraguay’s electricity company to gradually begin commercializing its energy directly on the Brazilian market—worth about $1.5billion.

Oh, did I mention that in 2010, Paraguay’s GDP was $16billion? These are game-changing amounts.

What Just Happened: The last hurdle to these changes was cleared this past Wednesday, when Brazil’s Senate voted to approve the agreement (though not without some opposition).

And Now: Paraguay should start getting three times as much for its energy starting this month and EVERYONE wants a piece of the easy money $360million pie (interestingly, no one is talking about the even heftier $1.5billion). The question is how to spend this money in a country that regularly sits at the top of “most corrupt” Latin American countries from Transparency International’s Corruption Perception Index. Will $360million go to finance the supporters of the new government? Will it [continue to] go to local governments to cover recurring costs, even though it’s just a temporary windfall? Will it get absorbed into the annual budget of the government (which was more than $8billion in 2010… half of GDP!) where it’s likely to be siphoned off in endemic patronage?

Or will it be invested in developing the educational and infrastructural capacity of Paraguay so that it can develop?

* note that these numbers don’t include the base cost of production, which is paid to the dam for the energy.

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Update: Lugo better; After misdiagnosis, Paraguay's medical care under scrutiny.

By Christine Folch | Published Monday, October 4, 2010

Fernando Lugo is still in Brazil, recovering from treatment for thrombosis (some kind of a blood clot) after having been misdiagnosed with an infection by a team of Paraguayan physicians (presumably the best in the country). The Brazilian physicians who took care of Paraguay's president had strong, negative words about the quality of medical care in Paraguay and this whole experience is putting the system in the spotlight.

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Paraguay's President Lugo provisionally cedes power to vice-president Franco

By Christine Folch | Published Saturday, October 2, 2010


Lugo earlier this week, from Ultima Hora.

Fernando Lugo has been in a public battle with cancer for two months and the situation is looking dire. Today he formally ceded the power of the presidency to his vice-president Federico Franco. Franco is now "acting president"--a provisional and possibly temporary position. But, Lugo is being rushed from Paraguay to São Paulo for emergency diagnostics. Word is that Lugo has an infection near his heart and lungs.

If this is the end of Lugo's dramatic presidency which ended one party rule in Paraguay for the first time in six decades, expect uncertainty. Franco is a Liberal (PLRA) and at odds with many of the policies and perspectives of other members of Lugo's lefty government. The midterm elections are just around the corner, a kind of check-in on how the presidency of "change" is doing. Will the Colorado (ANR) Party (that had controlled the presidency for 60+ years) succeed in consolidating itself internally after the surprise defeat in 2008? What will a Liberal president mean for policy? What's going to happen to the negotiations over Itaipú? What of the promised agrarian reform? What of judicial reform?


Acting President Federico Franco speaks to the press today. Image via ABC Color.

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Paraguay's President Fernando Lugo Has Cancer.

By Christine Folch | Published Saturday, August 7, 2010


Fernando Lugo, earlier this week. Photo: Ultima Hora

Fernando Lugo, the leftist ex-Bishop whose election unseated the Colorado Party for the first time in six decades, has non-Hodkin's lymphoma. Paraguay's Minister of Health held a press conference yesterday to make the announcement following a biopsy conducted this past Wednesday. Lugo will travel to São Paulo on Tuesday to conduct tests and develop a course of action.

So, that's the news. Now, the repercussions:

* If I know anything about Paraguayan politics, I'd wager that someone somewhere is saying "This is a fake... Lugo has made up this story in order to get sympathy votes. Want proof? He's going to Brazil for treatment, not here, where Paraguayans can see whether or not he's ill. Be on the look out for photos of Lugo frolicking on Ipanema with supermodels!"

* Vice President Federico Franco, from the Liberal Party, will return to Paraguay earlier than he'd planned--he's in Colombia to attend the inauguration of Juan Manuel Santos.

* Speaking of rumors, I bet someone is saying, "The Liberales gave him cancer so that Federico would become president!"

* So far, no word of sympathy or "get well soon!" from the other parties.

* In fact, people in politics are already talking about how to decide Lugo's successor, if he needs to resign. Like sharks who smell blood in the water, the curious silence from political sectors around the country doesn't make me think that people are "meh" about this, but questioning what this means and how to turn this to advantage.

* Is the lack of even a token of sympathy because the municipal elections are coming up and opposition parties don't want to give the government any ground or sympathy votes?

* By the way, the Paraguayan Constitution already says who should be Lugo's successor--the Vice President. The tricky thing is that a) the Colorado Party really doesn't want a Liberal in the presidency... it'll accept a lefty ex-Bishop any day over a Liberal; b) it's constitutionally unclear who should be appointed Vice President in the event that Federico has to step in for Lugo-- most likely a popular election will be held. The likely winner of an election is the Colorado Party... but what Colorado politician who can win a national election will want to waste his efforts on just becoming the Vice President of a Liberal? But! If a lesser Colorado does win, then he becomes a major contender for the 2013 presidential elections and thus a threat to the obvious Colorado candidate Luis Castiglioni.

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"Lugo runs risk of never having more children after operation" -- newspaper headline, perfect example of Paraguayan sarcasm

By Christine Folch | Published Saturday, January 9, 2010


Image from Ultima Hora.

It took me more than a few years to realize that the Paraguayan sense of humor, in addition to the grating Sábado Gigante-esque variety, is incredibly sarcastic because it plays on being very serious and very deadpan.

A classic example is this article in today's Ultima Hora:

Lugo corre riesgo de no tener más hijos tras la operación

La intervención de la próstata estuvo a cargo de 12 profesionales médicos. Guardará reposo y en las próximas cuatro semanas ya estará con posibilidades de mantener relación sexual, dijo Cayo Estigarribia.

The prostate surgery was conducted by 12 medical professionals. He is in recovery and within the next four weeks will be able to resume sexual relations, said Cayo Estigarribia.



Paraguay's president Fernando Lugo is a former Bishop (only "former" because he had to step down from his position to run for president) who is still under the clerical vow of celibacy. But he has been plagued by (accurate) accusations of having fathered children while a priest. He has acknowledged a couple of them, but has legal actions (asking for legal recognition of paternity and, presumably, child support) by half a dozen women and, well, rumors abound that there are plenty more in the background. Lugo underwent minor prostate surgery on Friday, which was successful.

Needless to say, Paraguayans of all political stripes are disappointed with the dalliances and vow-breaking and this has taken a toll on the perception of "seriousness" of the current regime.

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Fernando Lugo Admits the Baby is His

By Christine Folch | Published Monday, April 13, 2009

In a press conference this morning, Lugo says "Asumo la paternidad" which basically means that he's assuming paternal responsibility for the 2 year old boy whose mother placed a court "demand" against Paraguay's president to formally recognize paternity.

The mood here is "meh"... "Very catholic country" and "puritanical" are actually not the same thing. There are no calls for his resignation a la Spitzer in New York and most people I've spoken to say the same things: 1) so what, he's human 2) he's been responsible in paying child support and didn't leave the mother hanging 3) this is an attempt to get more money 4) Lugo's enemies have chosen now to create yet another mess for the guy.

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Fernando Lugo Flies Away After Baby Scandal Breaks

By Christine Folch | Published Wednesday, April 8, 2009

Yes, it's Holy Week and the gifts keep coming. Now, the embattled Paraguayan president has gone who-knows-where in an airplane.

El presidente de la Repúublica voló con rumbo desconocido.
("The President of the Republic Flew to an Unknown Destination" from Ultima Hora)

Lugo viajó con rumbo desconocido.
("Lugo traveled to an unknown destination" from ABC Color)

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Baby Scandal, Discrediting Fernando Lugo: A demand that the former bishop recognize his son.

By Christine Folch

The lady (and priest) in question. Image from ABC Color.

It's both possible and the most obvious tactic by which to undercut the credibility of Paraguay's new president. A report has come out today that a young woman has presented a case before the court in Encarnación (a Paraguayan border city close to Posadas, Argentina) requesting that Fernando Lugo recognize her two year old son as his own, legally. Um, as an oath-taking cleric, he's not really supposed to have been having babies and so, while he wouldn't be the first politician or priest to have broken a vow of chastity, it is a highly convenient attack, coming at a time when the Lugo government is at its weakest (credible rumors of subterfuge on the part of his vice president, a Liberal, and the previous president, a Colorado, and a failed-presidential candidate/failed-coup leader abound; plus, Lugo's had a hard time pushing through legislation in an opposition-controlled parliament and there've been cabinet-level resignations recently in protest of the president's agricultural policies).

To read more about the destabilizing claim that Paraguay's first non-Colorado president in six decades, the first former bishop in the world to rule a country, and a democratically elected left-of-center (supposedly) leader has a child on the side:

Demandan a Lugo que reconozca a su hijo (Parte 1)
("They demand that Lugo recognize his son" from ABC Color)

UPDATED. Uh oh. There's more:

Demandan al presidente Lugo por supuesto hijo no reconocido
("Lugo charged to recognize his alleged son" from Ultima Hora)

Presidente Fernando Lugo es demandado por filiación en Encarnación
("President Fernando Lugo is charged for paternity in Encarnación" from La Nación)

UPDATED again.

Demandan por filiación a Lugo (Parte 2): la supuesta relación secreta
("Demand for filiation to Lugo: The supposed secret relationship" from ABC Color)



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NYC Photo Exhibit of Fernando Lugo's Presidential Campaign

By Christine Folch | Published Thursday, November 13, 2008

(image from Urzúa's exhibit, via ABC Color)

Beginning today, the UN auditorium will host a 60-image exposition of Rafael Urzúa's photographs taken during a two-month journey following the Lugo campaign around Paraguay as the opposition candidate successfully (seen from hindsight) made his case for the presidency.

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Fernando Lugo meets with Bill Clinton, Joseph Stiglitz, George Soros.

By Christine Folch | Published Wednesday, September 24, 2008

(photo from ABC Digital)

In a meeting with Lugo on the 22nd, former U.S. President Bill Clinton pledged to sponsor (via the Clinton Foundation) a reforestation plan and an education initiative focused on Paraguay's indigenous community.

Lugo also dined with Joseph Stiglitz and George Soros at Soros' residence in Manhattan, during which they discussed the global economy and Paraguay's economic situation and need for development. Stiglitz, the Nobel laureate in economics, has previously expressed great interest in helping develop economic policy for Paraguay.

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Fernando Lugo to visit New York

By Christine Folch | Published Friday, September 19, 2008

Paraguay's president is taking his first official trip to the United States to attend the 63rd General Assembly of the UN. He arrives on Sunday morning and then has a slew of meetings with officials throughout the week.

A highlight that I'm trying to attend:

The Children of Latin America: A Future Without Poverty
Wednesday, September 24, 2008 from 3:00 pm to 4:30 pm

The Earth Institute at Columbia University and ALAS (America Latina en Accion Solidaria) present "The Children of Latin America: A Future Without Poverty - Creating Equity Through Early Childhood Development Programs," with world leaders from Argentina, El Salvador, Mexico, Panama and Paraguay. Join Jeffrey D. Sachs, Shakira, heads of state, experts and activists to discuss building a future without poverty for the children of Latin America.

REGISTER to view the LIVE WEBCAST http://www.earth.columbia.edu/children

VIDEO will be posted shortly after the event: http://www.earth.columbia.edu/children/

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Unanimous Support from LA Governments Amid Paraguay Coup Plot Rumors

By Christine Folch | Published Wednesday, September 3, 2008

Ambassadors from Argentina, Bolivia, Brasil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, México, Perú, Uruguay, and Venezuela yesterday voiced their unreserved support for Fernando Lugo as the democratically elected president of Paraguay after a meeting in Asunción. Meanwhile, Mercosur and the OAS also issued statements of support in light of the accusations of a coup plot that have arisen.

It remains to be seen what the fallout of this bit of drama will be. Is this a way to shore up international support? A way to demonstrate to the military that Lugo's government has a level of international and internal legitimacy to nip any thoughts of mutiny at the bud? A way for the military to test the resilience of Lugo? A fabrication?

A way to raise Paraguay's profile to increase its leverage as it bargains with Brazil over Itaipu?

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Coup d'état in Paraguay: Plans to Overthrow Lugo?

By Christine Folch | Published Tuesday, September 2, 2008

"Tenemos las puertas cerradas a los golpes de Estado. (We have closed the doors to coups.)"-- General Soto, who informed Lugo of the plot.

photo of Lugo from ABC Color

Two weeks after an historic inauguration, the military seeks to take over? Proving that the age of military juntas is not over, in sad news that doesn't seem too much of a surprise, there are rumors that leaders of the Colorado Party (out of power for the first time in 6 decades and in control of the military) have been meeting to discuss how to overthrow the current democratically elected government of Fernando Lugo.

Lugo, flanked by his ministers and the highest members of the military, made an announcement yesterday that there are "coup intentions among anti-democratic and retrograde sectors" in Paraguay, chiefly former President Nicanor Duarte and former presidential candidate (and coup-attempter) Lino Oviedo. There have been secret meetings at Oviedo's according to General Bernardino Soto Estigarribia, who served under Duarte and the one who apparently informed Lugo about these troubling developments.


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Fernando Lugo's Inauguration Draws World Leaders to Paraguay

By Christine Folch | Published Thursday, August 14, 2008

Cristina Kirchner (President of Argentina) arrived in Asunción on Thursday evening, joining an array of Latin American presidents who will be on hand to witness the historic transition. Bolivia's Evo Morales (fresh off an electoral victory) and Ecuador's Rafael Correa got there earlier. News that Nicaragua's Daniel Ortega would come was greeted with a strong repudiation from the future director of the Ministry of Women due to allegations from his stepdaughter that he raped her repeatedly for two decades. He's made a last-minute decision to not attend. Tabaré Vázquez, President of Uruguay, had a much warmer reception in Asunción--he received the keys to the city. (Uruguayan electoral observers played a key role in assuring some kind of regulatory normalcy on election day.) Felipe, Prince of Asturias (heir to the Spanish throne) is also in town, as is Honduran President Manuel Zelaya. Taiwan's President Ma Ying-jeou met with Lugo earlier Thursday at Mburuvichá Róga (the "house of the chief"), Paraguay's Presidential Palace. Colombia, Cuba, and Guatemala have apparently sent vice presidents. Hugo Chavez is expected on Friday morning.

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A New Day for Paraguay: Lugo Takes Office on August 15. Key Issues.

By Christine Folch | Published Tuesday, August 5, 2008

On August 15, Fernando Lugo will begin his term as President of the Republic of Paraguay. It will be the first time in 62 years that the ANR (the Colorados) are not in power and it represents an amazing moment in that country because hopes and expectations are high for the former bishop. Nevertheless, he will face great economic and political challenges emanating from internal and external forces.

1) Significant natural resources from ITAIPU & YACYRETA. These are two gargantuan hydroelectric plants (dams) on Paraguay's water borders with Brazil and Argentina (respectively). Given that energy prices are up globally, Paraguay should have seen a significant increase in revenues from these binational partnerships. This has yet to materialize as a result of a number of issues: corruption and graft (elite politicians finance their lifestyles through the agencies charged with distributing the largesse from the dams); Yacyreta's supposed ongoing technical problems; and unequal access to its share of the energy produced by Itaipu (wherein it has the requirement to sell any excess energy only to Brazil at below-market prices a tenth of what Brazil can then resell it as). Lugo has capitalized on popular resentment in Paraguay and has said that he will make renegotiating these two treaties a top priority.

It remains to be seen what he could possibly use as a bargaining chip to induce any flexibility on the part of Brazil or Argentina. Perhaps the Brazilian anthropologist I put this question to a few months ago is right: Brazil's President Lula will, for the sake of supporting the leftish government in Paraguay, concede a bit on the price that it pays Paraguay for unused energy, but will argue that, for the sake of political and economic stability within Brazil (who gets 20-25% of its annual energy from Itaipu), it cannot afford to pay market price.

2) Relations with Brazil & Argentina and Paraguay's place in Latin America, as well as the "leftward" turn to the continent. Lugo, even in the few months following his election, has internationalized Paraguayan diplomacy to an extent not seen in decades. He has traveled widely in the continent. But the question of where he falls in the two South American axes will be one to resolve in order to move forward: whether Paraguay will accede to the Brazil-Chile-Argentina left or whether it will lean towards Venezuela-Bolivia-Ecuador.

While Venezuela's Chavez may have popular appeal chiefly stemming from his anti-US rhetoric and the distribution of US-based petrol profits and despite Paraguayan anxieties over Brazilian incursions (a widespread popular fear is that Brazil will invade, militarily, when it can no longer get what it wants via informal invasions and imperialist expropriations-- namely water, territory for soy, and hardwoods), my intuition is that based on Lugo's personality and Paraguay's expediencies, Paraguay will continue its close relationship to Brazil.

While the posture of Brazil and Argentina towards Paraguay might at best be characterized as general, forgetful neglect, Paraguay is possibly more key to Brazil's internal functioning economy (in addition to its energy contribution, a great deal of cheap merchandise enters the Brazilian market via the Tri-Border area at Paraguay's Ciudad del Este) while Argentina benefits from cheap Paraguayan labor, chiefly in Buenos Aires as Paraguayans work to send remittances home.

3) Recrafting Paraguayan Political Culture. The ANR is a powerful opposition (because of its infrastructure, which largely remains intact) that is nevertheless still re-consolidating itself after the resounding indictment of April 20. Lugo will also need to tread carefully with the Liberal party (his vice-president Federico Franco is a member and it was in part their political machine that helped Lugo to victory). Though they have been in the opposition for decades, even facing organized violence and oppression by Stroessner's ANR (where even playing their theme song became an act of resistance), in practice they differ little from the ANR in those provinces where they have ruled: corruption and graft. There will be Liberales who are looking for the spoils of the government coffers.

How will Lugo avoid the corruption scandals that have beset other Latin American countries?

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Lessons Learned from Paraguay’s Recent Elections

By Christine Folch | Published Sunday, April 27, 2008

1) International observers make a difference.

2) When posing as part of the press, it helps to have credentials that you printed out on your inkjet hanging from a lanyard around your neck.

3) The success of a social movement like Tekojoja is difficult to gauge: initiating the campaign of a successful presidential candidate; failing to win seats for its state and senatorial candidates; shifting the public discourse to seriously consider previously marginalized issues.

4) Many Asunción cafes are wireless and Mac-friendly. Also, having a Mac at a press conference makes you look all the more estimable in the eyes of other journalists.

5) 17th century documents from the Caja Real in Asunción’s National Archives are often easier to read from a photograph taken by a digital camera than in person.

6) Freddo sells an excellent combination of dark chocolate and dulce de leche ice-cream.

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Complicating the "Leftward Turn" of Latin America: Lugo is no Chavez, Correa, or Morales

By Christine Folch | Published Tuesday, April 22, 2008

Tekojoja headquarters the day after the election win.


While news of Fernando Lugo's victory was much celebrated in the Spanish-speaking world as a triumph for democracy, rule of law, and respect for the will of the people, as well as for ending the 61 year hegemony of a single political party, it has been greeted with a little more anxiety and even apprehension in the English-language press as worries are raised about the "pink tide" sweeping the continent. Though in the United States the left-of-center politicians leading most of South America's nations may appear cut from the same cloth (and, depending on your viewpoint, that could be terrifying or attractive), on-the-ground here in Latin America, that perspective proves false. The pink tide needs much nuancing.

First, Lugo's coalition, the Alianza Patriotica comprises groups ranging from peasant and indigenous groups to workers groups and those who would consider themselves from the traditional left as well as groups on the right. Namely, the Partido Liberal. (In the U.S. the word "liberal" means "left," but in the rest of the world "liberal" means "advocates the market as the best distributor of goods"-- that is to say, "liberal" means "free trade"-- a position associated with the right.) The new vice-president, Frederico Franco, is from the Partido Liberal and is an advocate of neoliberalism... the foe for much of Latin America's left. This means that the new government will have to negotiate between some disparate positions. It is hard to imagine, say, Hugo Chavez having members of the right at the highest positions of influence in his government.

Frederico Franco is guy with the glasses and the mustache on the lower righthand side. This photo was taken on the night of April 20 as he arrived to the Panteon Nacional to celebrate the electoral victory. Notice the blue flags, the official color of the Partido Liberal.

It follows from this that Sunday's election was as much an indictment against the current regime and the Colorado party's unmitigated rule of more than half a century as much as it was for Lugo. For more than 60 years, in order to be a school teacher, a soldier in the military, a police officer, a judge, a clerk in the government, any part of government work, you had to be a registered member of the Colorado party. One Paraguayan with whom I spoke referred to this as political apartheid. Thousands of government workers, who had benefited from a system of party patronage, feared for their jobs should the opposition win and then kick them out. Lugo and Franco have taken repeated measures to assure those workers that, rather than vindictively firing them, the Colorado party also has a key role to play in the new administration.

Moreover, taking a step back from the Paraguayan context, it is important to realize that there are vast differences between the likes of Castro and Chavez, on the one hand, and Lula and Bachelet, on the other. The fact that they are lumped together in the U.S. press is disturbingly myopic. Brazil and Chile have two of the most robust economies in the western hemisphere and the "left"ish administrations in power have not scared away foreign investment whatsoever. As for Cuba, as I've said below, the slow but accelerating movement away from the economic policies of the past 60 years is notable as well.

This is a video (not made by me) of the "18 de Octubre" polca, the theme song of the Partido Liberal. During Stroessner's dictatorship, it was illegal to play and therefore became a hallmark of resistance.

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