PARAGUAY: NEW MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE NELSON RUIZ

UNCLAS ASUNCION 000773 SIPDIS STATE FOR WHA/BSC, EB/IFD/OIA, AND INR-B STATE PASS TO USAID FOR LAC/AA STATE PASS TO USTR FOR SCRONIN AND LYANG NSC FOR KIM BREIER TREASURY FOR OSIA MAUREEN WAFER TREASURY FOR OTA WARFIELD, VAN KOCH, MILLAR COMMERCE FOR ITA SARAH COOK SOUTHCOM FOR POLAD DAN JOHNSON E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV PREL PA SUBJECT: PARAGUAY: NEW MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE NELSON RUIZ DIAZ BIOGRAPHIC INFORMATION ¶1. Biographic information of the new Minister of Industry and Commerce, Raul Vera Bogado. ¶2. President Duarte named Nelson Ruiz as Minister of Agriculture on June 7, 2005 to replace former Minister Antonio Ibanez (August 2003-June 2005) who resigned in the wake of press reports about his alleged involvement in a corruption scandal selling beef to the National Police. Prior to his appointment as Minister, Ruiz served as a Vice-Minister of Agriculture under Ibanez. ¶3. Ruiz is a technocrat, nominated by Duarte to modernize the ministry and fill it with technical experts, according to press statements. He has worked within the Ministry of Agriculture in various capacities most recently serving as a Senior Advisor for the Capacity Strengthening Project between the Agricultural Ministry and Ministry of Foreign Affairs. From 2001-2004, Ruiz worked as a Specialist in Sustainable Rural Development for the Institute of Agricultural Cooperation. He has also served as a professor of Economic Production at the Catholic University in Coronel Oveido, Paraguay (1998) and as a technical professor at the Faculty of Agrarian Sciences at the National University of Asuncion (1999). From 1990-1995, he worked within the Ministry of Agriculture as a Technical Advisor to the Planning Office. ¶4. Ruiz graduated from the National University of Asuncion in 1988 as an Agronomist. He also holds a Master of Science Degree in Agricultural Economics from Oklahoma State University. Ruiz is 40 years old and was born in Asuncion on May 28, 1965. WILLIAMS