The Party of the European Left strongly condemns the “institutional coup d’état ” against the constitutional president of Paraguay, Fernando Lugo, through the so-called “political judgment". It is a coup d’état representing a clear attack to the difficult process of transformation which started with Lugo’s victory in 2008 elections which ended 60 years of domination of the Colorado Party and 35 years of Alfredo Stroessner’s bloody dictatorship.

They are the same forces that always tried to stop in any possible way any social transformations and popular protagonist role in Paraguay, while opposing Latin-American integration.

Today, in a grotesque way, the same parliament in the hands of the right-wing thanks to the old electoral law, stands in defense of democracy, while in reality it is trying to defend landlords and oligarchy privileges, in  alliance with reactionary mass-media,

The actual excuse was the obscure massacre that took place few days ago in Curuguaty where 11 peasants and 6 members of police have been killed during a land occupation clearing. The massacre, according to several denounces, could have been organized on purpose to give a political base to the corrupted judges and parliament.  

The situation that Paraguay lives in these hours is part of the US imperialist remilitarization of Latin America and the violation of democratic rights of the people in the all continent:  in 2002 the attempt to overthrow by violence President Chavez and Bolivarian Revolution in Venezuela; in 2009 the effective coup against Manuel Zelaya in Honduras; in 2010 the failed  coup d’état against President Correa and  “citizen revolution” in Ecuador; after the failed secession of “media luna”, in the last months the destabilization campaigns against Bolivia of President Evo Morales. They are all clear signs of imperial strategy against social and political processes of transformation in Latin America.

The Party of the European Left stresses its solidarity with the Paraguayan peasants’ movement fighting for land distribution and for an agrarian reform, and strongly condemns repression and criminalization of social movements fighting for their rights.

The Party of the European Left while denouncing the actions of destabilization and while demanding from the European institutions the defense of the legitimate constitutional government of President Fernando Lugo and the democratic and popular process, call for mobilization to defend the democratic process in Paraguay. 

Brussels, 27 June 2012