Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07ASUNCION552
2007-07-03 20:36:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Asuncion
Cable title:
PARAGUAY POLITICAL AND ECONOMIC UPDATE JUNE 23-29,
how-toVZCZCXYZ0005 RR RUEHWEB DE RUEHAC #0552 1842036 ZNR UUUUU ZZH R 032036Z JUL 07 FM AMEMBASSY ASUNCION TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 5910 INFO RUCNMER/MERCOSUR COLLECTIVE RUMIAAA/USCINCSO MIAMI FL//SCJ3/SCJ33/SCJ34/SOCSO LNO// RHEHNSC/WHITE HOUSE NSC WASHDC RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHDC RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHDC RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
UNCLAS ASUNCION 000552
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
STATE FOR WHA/BSC, INL/LP (JIM HIDES)
EB/IFD/OIA
STATE PASS TO USAID FOR LAC/AA
STATE PASS TO USTR FOR LYANG
NSC FOR SUE CRONIN
TREASURY FOR OSIA MAUREEN WAFER
TREASURY FOR OTA WARFIELD, VAN KOCH, MILLAR
COMMERCE FOR ITA SARAH COOK
SOUTHCOM FOR POLAD
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PHUM PREL PA
SUBJECT: PARAGUAY POLITICAL AND ECONOMIC UPDATE JUNE 23-29,
2007
UNCLAS ASUNCION 000552
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
STATE FOR WHA/BSC, INL/LP (JIM HIDES)
EB/IFD/OIA
STATE PASS TO USAID FOR LAC/AA
STATE PASS TO USTR FOR LYANG
NSC FOR SUE CRONIN
TREASURY FOR OSIA MAUREEN WAFER
TREASURY FOR OTA WARFIELD, VAN KOCH, MILLAR
COMMERCE FOR ITA SARAH COOK
SOUTHCOM FOR POLAD
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PHUM PREL PA
SUBJECT: PARAGUAY POLITICAL AND ECONOMIC UPDATE JUNE 23-29,
2007
1. (U) SUMMARY:
-- A Dissident Divide
-- Election Turned Congressional Smackdown
-- GOP Forgets Their Fogeys
A DISSIDENT DIVIDE
2. (U) Alfredo "Goli" Stroessner announced June 27 that The
Peace and Progress Movement (MPP) would withdraw its support
for presidential hopeful Vice President Luis Castiglioni.
The MPP now openly supports Colorado Party (ANR) president
Jose Alberto Alderete. Alderete announced that same day that
he would run for president in the ANR primaries. Congressmen
from the ANR dissident group had hoped that Alderete and
Castiglioni would unite; however, Castiglioni,s announcement
of Ciudad del Este mayor Javier Zacarias Irun as his running
mate ended any such possibility. Many congressmen believe
the split among ANR dissidents will give President Nicanor
Duarte Frutos, hand-picked presidential candidate Blanca
Ovelar the upper hand in the ANR primaries, with many
speculating that the Alderete candidacy is just for that
purpose.
ELECTION TURNED CONGRESSIONAL SMACKDOWN
3. (U) Congress officially elected a new presidency on June
26. The Deputies elected Colorado Party (ANR) dissident
Oscar Salomon as its new president, Osvaldo Ferras (PLRA) as
vice president, and Gustavo Mussi (UNACE) as the second vice
president. Exiting President Victor Bogado (an ANR
officialist) conducted a second election after a dispute
during the original session on June 21 led to fisticuffs
between officialist and dissident ANR congressmen. Over a
technicality Bogado deemed election results illegitimate.
Both elections, however, garnered the same results.
GOP FORGETS THEIR FOGEYS
4. (U) A press report revealed that the GOP is currently
incapable of providing adequate services for the growing
elderly population. With the number of registered elderly
adults already bordering 500,000, or approximately 7.6% of
the total population, the GOP,s Department of Public Health
(which invests approximately USD 935,000 in services for the
aging public) remains severely unequipped for the steady
influx of 15,000 persons reaching the age of 60 every year.
Press reports indicate that within the country, there exist
only 4 public homes for the elderly and 7 geriatric
physicians. According to the same report, only 14% of senior
citizens aged 60 years and older are beneficiaries of social
security. Only about 20% of the elderly population receives
some form of retirement pay or pension. The proportion of
elderly adults is expected to increase from 11.6% in 2025 to
18.5% in 2050.
CASON
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
STATE FOR WHA/BSC, INL/LP (JIM HIDES)
EB/IFD/OIA
STATE PASS TO USAID FOR LAC/AA
STATE PASS TO USTR FOR LYANG
NSC FOR SUE CRONIN
TREASURY FOR OSIA MAUREEN WAFER
TREASURY FOR OTA WARFIELD, VAN KOCH, MILLAR
COMMERCE FOR ITA SARAH COOK
SOUTHCOM FOR POLAD
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PHUM PREL PA
SUBJECT: PARAGUAY POLITICAL AND ECONOMIC UPDATE JUNE 23-29,
2007
1. (U) SUMMARY:
-- A Dissident Divide
-- Election Turned Congressional Smackdown
-- GOP Forgets Their Fogeys
A DISSIDENT DIVIDE
2. (U) Alfredo "Goli" Stroessner announced June 27 that The
Peace and Progress Movement (MPP) would withdraw its support
for presidential hopeful Vice President Luis Castiglioni.
The MPP now openly supports Colorado Party (ANR) president
Jose Alberto Alderete. Alderete announced that same day that
he would run for president in the ANR primaries. Congressmen
from the ANR dissident group had hoped that Alderete and
Castiglioni would unite; however, Castiglioni,s announcement
of Ciudad del Este mayor Javier Zacarias Irun as his running
mate ended any such possibility. Many congressmen believe
the split among ANR dissidents will give President Nicanor
Duarte Frutos, hand-picked presidential candidate Blanca
Ovelar the upper hand in the ANR primaries, with many
speculating that the Alderete candidacy is just for that
purpose.
ELECTION TURNED CONGRESSIONAL SMACKDOWN
3. (U) Congress officially elected a new presidency on June
26. The Deputies elected Colorado Party (ANR) dissident
Oscar Salomon as its new president, Osvaldo Ferras (PLRA) as
vice president, and Gustavo Mussi (UNACE) as the second vice
president. Exiting President Victor Bogado (an ANR
officialist) conducted a second election after a dispute
during the original session on June 21 led to fisticuffs
between officialist and dissident ANR congressmen. Over a
technicality Bogado deemed election results illegitimate.
Both elections, however, garnered the same results.
GOP FORGETS THEIR FOGEYS
4. (U) A press report revealed that the GOP is currently
incapable of providing adequate services for the growing
elderly population. With the number of registered elderly
adults already bordering 500,000, or approximately 7.6% of
the total population, the GOP,s Department of Public Health
(which invests approximately USD 935,000 in services for the
aging public) remains severely unequipped for the steady
influx of 15,000 persons reaching the age of 60 every year.
Press reports indicate that within the country, there exist
only 4 public homes for the elderly and 7 geriatric
physicians. According to the same report, only 14% of senior
citizens aged 60 years and older are beneficiaries of social
security. Only about 20% of the elderly population receives
some form of retirement pay or pension. The proportion of
elderly adults is expected to increase from 11.6% in 2025 to
18.5% in 2050.
CASON