Paraguay: after the protests, Mario Abdo Benítez announced changes of government

The President of Paraguay, Mario Abdo Benitez, announced Saturday changes in four portfolios of his firm “For the sake of pacification.” this is an attempt to quell protests calling for his resignation for the management of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Abdo said the changes would be made to the Ministries of Health, Education and Women and the Civil Cabinet, and said that – in the next few hours – he would announce the new appointments.

“I am sure that the men and women summoned will put their shoulders to face each other this moment of urgency the country is going through ”, expressed the president, who promised to continue to assess the changes. And, referring to the reality of Paraguay, he stressed, “It doesn’t need gears and counter gears. The country needs us united ”.

In this context, the ministers had made known their positions in an attempt to calm the political crisis caused by manage the pandemic.

Thousands of people gathered on Friday in Asunción Congress Square protest against lack of inputs to fight the coronavirus and for the collapse of hospitals before the increase in cases.

The protest led to clashes with police on Friday and as a result there were at least 21 injured, according to the director of the trauma hospital, Agustín Saldívar.

This Saturday, some 5,000 people demonstrated again, peacefully. With banners and songs, protesters demanded Abdo’s resignation and accused the president and his cabinet of being a corrupt government. They also called for the dismissal of Health Minister Julio Mazzoleni, who resigned Friday at the request of the senatorial majority (30 out of a total of 45).

THE NATION

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