06/14/2024
ASUNCION (Xinhua/Jorge Querey) – In early May, a corruption scandal came to light in Paraguay where, according to press reports, funds donated by Taiwan and intended for a local government social program were illegally diverted for maintenance of the presidential plane.
The case revealed the lack of transparency and controls on the Paraguayan side, and the irresponsible and permissive attitude of the Taiwanese side, which favored the corruption of local officials, undermining public trust and questioning the effectiveness of these social programs.
It was a formal request, dated October 12, 2023 and sent by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MRE) of Paraguay, urgently asking the Taiwan authorities to use some 2,600,000 US dollars of the “Project Che Tapýi”, which contemplates the construction of housing for poor indigenous families, for the regular maintenance of a small plane and a helicopter donated by Taiwan to Paraguay, in order to guarantee the safety of President Santiago Peña’s flights.
The following day, the representative of Taiwan, José Chih-Cheng Han, expressed the agreement of the Taiwanese authorities so that the remaining balance of the aforementioned social project, of approximately 1,748,974 dollars, be used for the requested purpose.
However, given the news reported by the press, the Government of Paraguay issued an official statement dated May 5, 2024, emphatically denying that the requested funds had been used. On the contrary, it recognizes that consultations were made with Taiwan to temporarily cover the repair costs of aircraft held in Brazil since the middle of last year due to lack of payments, but they detailed that in the end they were not used and that the money is still available for construction. household.
Without a doubt, this action was a totally negligent and misplaced procedure, since all resources that enter the country in any capacity are assets of the Paraguayan State, which must be used in accordance with the Constitution and the laws that establish very clearly how should be used.
In this sense, the attitude of the Taiwanese representative was sloppy, it is not consistent with respect for the formal and legal means of collaboration, following the protocols of both international relations and the internal legal framework of Paraguay.
The Che Tapýi Project, which dates back to 2014, has already completed the first stage and the execution of the first homes of the second stage began during the government period of President Mario Abdo Benítez (2018-2023), with the construction of a total of 1,000 houses for indigenous peoples in different indigenous communities in the Paraguayan Chaco.
According to the latest data from the Ministry of Urban Planning, Housing and Habitat (MUVH), so far, of the total of 1,000 homes, 250 have already been completed, 332 are under construction and 418 are in the pipeline.
If the diversion of funds from the aforementioned project had been carried out by the current Government, with the approval of Taiwan, it can be deduced that more than 400 indigenous families would have been affected.
This is why the case is really serious, because a request was formally made, note included, by the Paraguayan Foreign Ministry, which further aggravates the conduct of those responsible for the Executive.
This request, undoubtedly, was a way for the Taiwanese authorities to ingratiate themselves with the Government of Paraguay, and I know that there is a very strong lobby on the part of the island and even Washington, regarding our position regarding Taiwan.
The news released suggests how Taiwan, and the United States in particular, interfere in the internal politics of countries to influence geopolitical positions, especially taking into account the support and privilege that Paraguay gives to Taiwan.
It is likely that this is just a small sample of a broader pattern of corruption that involves both Paraguayan authorities and foreign interests seeking to put their own interests before the needs of the population.
(The author is a former senator of Paraguay for the Frente Guasú Party in the period 2018-2023)
(The opinions expressed in this article are those of the writer and do not necessarily reflect the position of Xinhua News Agency)
Photo: René González/Xinhua
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2024-06-14T10:43:00
2024-06-14T10:43:00
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