After the massive demonstration in Paraguay, Mario Abdo asked his ministers to make their posts available

The President of Paraguay, Mario Abdo Benitez, asked his ministers to make their positions available after the massive demonstration which ended in serious incidents on Friday evening.

The information was published by the head of the portfolio of information and communication technologies, Juan Manuel Brunetti. The Head of State will then communicate who will be removed from office and who will retain their functions.

“This situation is being analyzed. The president listened to the citizens. Right now, many ministers are present (at Mburuvicha Róga, the presidential residence) and they keep coming, ”the official said, according to the local newspaper. Last Hora.

And I add: “That the President of the Republic asks his entire cabinet to make their posts available is a very important political fact.. Obviously, there will be an evaluation and the president will announce what changes, when and in what way ”.

“The concrete message is that: the president has listened to the citizens, summoned his cabinet, asked them to make their positions available and will announce the changes he deems appropriate at a certain time of the day, if God allows it”, concluded .

The violent incidents of the demonstration against the government for its management of the pandemic left the balance one dead and at least 18 injured Friday evening in Asunción. Opposition said there were reasons to push for an impeachment against Colorado Conservative Party leader.

The fatal victim has been identified as Alejandro Daniel Florentín, 32, informed the doctor Agustín Saldívar, head of the trauma hospital.

After having known the consequences of the clashes between the demonstrators and the police, spokesperson for different formations, from the opposition Liberal Party to Honor Colorado, the internal faction of the Colorado Party led by former President Horacio Cartes ( 2013-2018), expressed their intention to go ahead or to explore, in the case of the more cautious, the possibility of expelling the president.

Abdo Benítez was already close to impeachment in August 2019, when he was in charge of the country for barely a year, for a secret act with Brazil to buy energy from the Itaipu dam, shared by the two countries , although he managed to save himself thanks to the support of Cartes, his internal rival.

More than a year later, the president is racking up criticism for his handling of the pandemic, channeled this Friday during a citizen demonstration in front of Congress to protest against the lack of supply in the public network.

Friday afternoon’s message in the micro-center of Asunción, with hundreds of people gathered, was clear: “Out Marito!”, As the president is popularly known.

Citizens were not satisfied with the resignation of already former health minister Julio Mazzoleni on Friday morning, and went to demand the dismissal of the entire Cabinet, starting with the president and vice-president, Hugo Velázquez.

Violent protest

The public convocation began peacefully around 6 p.m. local time with a large number of young demonstrators, all with their national flags and banners protesting in front of Congress.

At nightfall, the peaceful atmosphere that prevailed until then becomes scarce. due to the presence of some citizens who lit bonfires and flares, increasingly close to one of the main police barriers, behind which were also riot police, special forces and fire cars.

This group of protesters started throwing stones and objects at the security forces, that after several minutes responded to attacks with gas and rubber pellets.

Crowds dispersed in different directions and barricades and bonfires formed in different parts of downtown Asunción, several blocks from the venue. The most conflictual was the one that was organized in front of the Ministry of Finance, very close to the National Police Command.

Despite the large number of police in the area, the uniformed police, many of whom are without helmets or bulletproof vests, were overwhelmed by protesters and they ended up facing them with stones.

The superiority of the citizens forced the police out white handkerchiefs to ask the demonstrators for a truce and to accept their request to return to Congress to start a vigil until Abdo Benítez resigns.

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