Paraguayan Senate may expel former President Fernando Lugo

Paraguayan Senate may expel former President Fernando Lugo

Lugo, which is now in the process of rebuilding in neighboring Argentina, must meet all the conditions to remain in this entity before October 21, explained Miguel Fulgencio Rodríguez, who is also a senator of the Guazú Front’s left-wing coalition.

That day ends the deadline by which all nominees for the House of Lords must meet the requirements to run on April 30, 2023, lawmakers said while admitting Lugo’s incapacity to hold office in his current state of health.

The Senate “will decide on this. In fact, there is this legal obstacle and there will be a resolution on this,” the parliamentarian said of the former president, who is also the leader of the Frente Guazú group.

Legislative media have speculated over who could replace Lugo with a seat in 2023, although his son-in-law Luis Paciello appears as number one to fill the title and the Legislature may define another replacement.

The latter may happen – according to the sources – because Paciello is implicated in the ongoing corruption trial accused of unjust enrichment.

The Comptroller’s Office and Prosecutor’s Office confirmed contradictions in an affidavit from the senator, who failed to identify the origin of large sums of money used in the purchase of two homes, each worth $100,000.

Due to a medical and family decision, Lugo traveled to Argentina on September 7 to continue his rehabilitation after the August 10 stroke.

Accompanied by his doctor, Jorge Querey, the former president was airlifted in an air ambulance to be admitted to the foundation that fights neurological diseases, known as the Fleni Clinic.

The medical reports of the last few days reported improvements of the former head of state (2008-2012), 71 years old, inpatient in a clinic in Asunción until his transfer to Buenos Aires.

rgh/apb