The Vice President of Paraguay confirms his resignation after being singled out by the US for corruption

MADRID, 13 Ago. (EUROPA PRESS) -

The Vice President of Paraguay, Hugo Velázquez, has confirmed his resignation from office and his candidacy as the Colorado Party's pre-candidate for the Presidency of the country after being designated as a "significantly corrupt" person by the United States.

"It fell like a bucket of cold water. I don't know what he was talking about (the United States ambassador to Paraguay, Marc Ostfield). In my character as a candidate for president of the Republic, having as a speech the fight against organized crime, that It makes me feel bad and I have to be consistent," said Velázquez on the Monumental 1080 AM radio station.

In this sense, he affirmed that he wants to go out as an ordinary citizen to defend what he considers an injustice and indicated "that there is a gap in the case" that involves him.

Ostfield announced at a press conference that Velázquez obstructed an investigation that threatened him and his financial interests with a million-dollar bribe.

"The complaint of an alleged bribery was very volatile, I don't know if there is a criminal case. I have no idea of ​​the accusation. I must take care of the principles for which I have fought," argued Velázquez, who has assured that he is calm. His decision to step aside seeks not to affect the environment of President Mario Abdo Benítez or the Colorado Party.

"I speak with the calm that my behavior gives me, because I did not do what they are accusing me of (attempted bribery). I am speaking with a clear conscience," Velázquez riveted.

The US State Department has indicated in a statement that the vice president has been sanctioned along with former prosecutor Juan Carlos Duarte for his involvement in "significant crimes of corruption", which includes interference in public processes and bribery.

Thus, he has pointed out that Duarte, a close person and partner of Velázquez, offered bribes to high-ranking Paraguayan officials to obstruct the investigation against the vice president and his financial interests. "This type of acts of corruption only contribute to weighing down the confidence of the population in the Government, in addition to the public perception of impunity," the text collects.

Duarte would have been implicated in the scandal at the Yacyretá Binational Entity, created by Paraguay and Argentina to manage a joint hydroelectric complex. According to the State Department, Duarte's actions, which exploited his privileged position with respect to the entity, "endangered confidence in one of Paraguay's main economic assets."

The Paraguayan Constitution states that if the definitive vacancy of the vice presidency occurs during the first three years of the constitutional period, elections will be called to fill it. However, if the resignation takes place in the last two years of the constitutional period, as is the case, it is Congress, by an absolute majority of its members, that will designate who should hold the position until the end of the period.

In addition, the Colorado Party (Republican National Association-Colorado Party) will have to elect a new candidate for the general election scheduled for April 23, 2023.