Hugo Velazquez reverses his determination to resign after the US final week accused him of involvement in ‘vital’ corruption.
The vp of Paraguay has reversed a plan to resign this week, saying he won’t quit his publish till he has particulars of the USA’s corruption claims towards him.
Hugo Velazquez informed reporters on Thursday that he had initially provided to resign final week as he “assumed” there was a home investigation towards him.
However on Wednesday, he acquired discover from the Paraguay prosecutor’s workplace stating “that there isn’t any case towards me”, Velazquez stated.
“I had talked about once I spoke with you that I used to be going to resign from workplace … in an effort to go and defend myself as a typical citizen,” Velazquez informed a neighborhood radio station.
“Yesterday afternoon I discovered that the Public Ministry determined to ask the USA Embassy for the info concerning the grievance towards me. In the present day, I do not need a platform to defend myself as a result of there isn’t any investigation in the USA both,” he added.
Final Friday, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken stated a Velazquez affiliate had provided a bribe to a Paraguayan public official to “impede an investigation that threatened the Vice President and his monetary pursuits”.
Blinken stated Velazquez could be barred from coming into the US attributable to his “involvement in vital corruption, together with bribery of a public official and interference in public processes”.
In the present day the @StateDept designated Paraguayan Vice President Hugo Velazquez and affiliate Juan Carlos Duarte ineligible for entry to the U.S. for involvement in vital corruption. We stand dedicated to supporting democracy and selling accountability for corrupt officers.
— Secretary Antony Blinken (@SecBlinken) August 12, 2022
“Corrupt acts akin to these additionally contribute to diminished confidence within the authorities and public perceptions of corruption and impunity inside the workplace of the Paraguayan Vice President,” the highest US diplomat stated in a assertion.
The accusation unleashed a political earthquake in Paraguay, the place Velazquez was set to be the federal government’s presidential candidate in main elections for the conservative Colorado Get together in December.
Velazquez, who has denied wrongdoing, however renounced his candidacy and stated he would go away the vice presidency this week.
However whereas the 54-year-old on Thursday stated he wouldn’t resign as vp now, he additionally stated in an announcement that his determination to not be a presidential candidate is “immovable”.
In July, the US additionally introduced a ban on former Paraguayan President Horacio Cartes, accusing the businessman-turned-politician of corruption and hyperlinks to “terrorist” teams.
Cartes’ political motion will face Velazquez’s within the primaries and the winner shall be a candidate for the final elections scheduled for April 2023. Cartes’ candidate, former minister Santiago Pena, continues to be within the operating.
