U.S.—Paraguay Military deal is over. What happened?
On Thursday the 17th, Paraguay rejected a military cooperation deal with the United States which would have placed about 500 U.S. military and other personnel in the country. U.S. Ambassador to Asunción Liliana Ayalde said, “We regret the decision but we respect it.” Given the diplomatic rifts that the U.S.-Colombia base deal has caused in South America, the increase in weapons purchases throughout the region, and the increasingly tense tone of Unasur meetings, the decision is not surprising. President Fernando Lugo said that the round of U.S. exercises scheduled for 2010 was “neither prudent nor convenient at this time and could raise concerns among the other members of the Mercosur and Unasur.” Unlike many other members of Unasur, Paraguay has consistently denounced the recent increases in Latin American governments’ arms purchases, and has not acquired weapons in the last few years. According to the Paraguayan foreign affairs minister, Hector Lacognate, the Paraguayan position is “pacifist.” Lacognate maintained that beyond the military dimension, “[w]e have an excellent bilateral agenda with the United States, with more than 30 agreements currently in place.”