Paraguay's Nascent Occupy Movement Cut Short
Paraguay's Nascent Occupy Movement Cut Short
by Political Crisis
Paraguayan
President Fernando Lugo faces impeachment after violence in
the country's rural interior last Friday left 11 farmers and
six policemen dead. The violence comes as a result of
ongoing conflict between landless peasants and landed
elites, an issue that Lugo has failed to properly address
thus far in his administration. Underscoring recent
developments is a political environment consistently muddied
by rhetorical maneuvering and the rise of an Occupy-like
social movement demanding reform. If successful, impeachment
would mean tenuity for Paraguay's newfound two-party
political system and recent democratic reform efforts.
This analysis was prepared by Gustavo Setrini, Guest
Scholar and former Research Associate at the Council on
Hemispheric Affairs.
To read the full analysis, click
here.
For more detailed analysis, read...
Land Reform Issues Intensify as Paraguay Enters
into a Political
Crisis
The politicized response to
the June 15 police-campesino clash in Curuguaty highlights
the broken nature of Paraguayan governance, where the
persistent fight for political power overshadows corrupt
practices and demotes land tenure issues below the interests
of landed elite. The Colorado Party-led push to impeach
President Fernando Lugo represents a political coup that
threatens the democratic legitimacy of the Paraguayan state
while ignoring true social concerns that remain throughout
Paraguay.
This analysis was prepared by Eric
Stadius, Research Associate at the Council on Hemispheric
Affairs.
To read the full analysis, click here.
COHA in the Public Arena (June 16- June 22,
2012).
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