Paraguay is a small South American country of little significance to us in the northern hemisphere, and today it appears to have undergone a kind of coup: The president, Fernando Lugo, was dismissed by the national congress. Via Prensa Latina: La democracia fue herida profundamente, dijo Fernando Lugo. [Democracy was deeply wounded, Fernando Lujo said] Excerpt, with my translation, and then a comment:
El presidente paraguayo, Fernando Lugo, acató la decisión hoy del Congreso de removerlo del cargo y dijo que la democracia fue herida profundamente con su destitución.
Paraguayan President Fernando Lugo today accepted the decision of Congress to remove him, and said democracy had been deeply wounded by his dismissal.
En sus últimas declaraciones como Jefe de Estado, hechas desde la Casa del Gobierno, Lugo explicó que fueron transgredidos todos los principios de la defensa, de manera cobarde y alevosa. Agregó que espera que sus sucesores tengan presente la gravedad de sus hechos.
In his last statement as chief of state, made in Government House, Lugo said all the principles of defence had been transgressed in a cowardly and treacherous manner. He added that he hopes his successors understand the gravity of their actions.
Prensa Latina also has links to a number of reaction stories, most of them critical of Lugo's removal and some of them saying it amounts to a "golpe de estado"—a coup d'etat.
I mention this event because Paraguay has been dealing for some months with a serious dengue outbreak (Lugo's successor, Vice-President Federico Franco, and his wife both had dengue last February). I have no idea whether the current minister of health will remain in her office or be replaced, and what the impact will be on public health. But there will be an impact, good or bad.
