Paraguayan coup d'état

I absolutely do not condone Collor's actions. In fact, I was his opponent at the polls until the end, but I believe that two hours of sincere defense (despite the suppression of the right to a full defense) are worth more than several weeks of defense (not always truthful) presented to judges absurdly devoid of any goodwill (as was the case with the judges of the former president).

Why, in the case of Brazil in 1992, would the final conclusion have been different from the present Lugo case? Because the aim was to overthrow the president, period. Being a "South American leader," after all, has its disadvantages. Now they can say they did to Lugo what we did to Collor. A coup followed by "privatization."

Had we had the intelligence to relegate Collor to mere "ungovernability," forcing him to swallow his own legacy at the ballot box in the coming elections, we would certainly have done better than we did. Something that, apparently, would not have happened in Paraguay, since at first glance, Lugo, even if boycotted by parliament for the remainder of his term, would still have maintained his popular support (something I am not stating as a fact, only suggesting the Paraguayan reaction observed since his removal).

Even if my inference is wrong, the guy, despite being an illegitimate father while a bishop in the Catholic Church, was able to resist, in his already precarious power, a cancer that none of us would have wanted to face.

And, above this cancerous argument that now seems insignificant, perhaps we Brazilians should be crudely applauding the outcome in Paraguay, since, judging by appearances, Lugo was probably in a position contrary to that of the Brazilians living in Paraguay, very likely acting cautiously to bend the laws and force the withdrawal of Brazilian investors and producers from the border regions between Brazil and Paraguay for the benefit of misguided Paraguayans, who think that owning land is the same as producing oilseeds of international quality.

I won't even touch on the ridiculous aspect, already denounced (detected) by the UN two decades ago, that Paraguay exports twice as much soy as it could possibly plant and harvest on its arable land. This is a matter for the two governments (Brazilian and Paraguayan) to resolve jointly in the criminal sphere; after all, nothing is better than a Brazil/Paraguay symbiosis for offenders to find "ways" to circumvent the laws.

This, however, matters little. Firstly, it would be a self-inflicted wound, since there are no Paraguayan candidates for the Brazilian lands who could maintain the same level of production introduced by Brazilian farmers.

Secondly, the abominable "coup of legality," with the breaking of contracts and expropriations carried out in secret, would not only harm Brazilians who have long been established in Paraguay, but would also drastically reduce the productivity level of the lands legitimately exploited by the "Brasiguaios" (Brazilians living in Paraguay).

Finally, if Lugo was in cahoots with the illegitimate deposition of the "brasiguaios," time would take care of making him more of a victim than a beneficiary of the consequences.

If Franco were a true "rescuer of the rights of the Brazilians in Paraguay," his "power grab" banner would have been far more forceful in favor of their property rights, and the Paraguayan ambassador's verbal diarrhea to the OAS regarding the formation of a new triple alliance between the former allies of the Paraguayan War would never have been allowed. Especially considering the official declaration of animosity (which I consider more of a "discourtesy") he adopted – "If they want to form a new triple alliance, let them come, Paraguay is ready." How much imbecility, after all, can be condensed into so few words?

To summarize, there's no hiding it, Paraguay: you were victims of a planned and structured coup d'état, clearly illegitimate and abominable, which must not only be condemned by the whole world, but also denounced and combated by all legal and competent means to restore your good image as a nation that – despite all its sorrows – left behind Strossner's methods and effectively chose to pursue social development based primarily on the rule of law. Or are you still seeking "revenge" for Strossner having taken refuge on our coast (which is exactly what you were seeking during the war between us)?

After all, we are not dealing here with matters that are – even to the least educated citizens of both nations – imbued with any kind of conspiracy theory or depth that requires more than a basic level of schooling to be debated. We are only dealing with the trivial. We do not inconsistently defend the property rights of Brazilians in Paraguay, just as we do not belittle the Paraguayan right to depose a legitimately elected president in just 36 hours of proceedings.

We draw everyone's attention, however, to the childish attacks that are still perpetrated today against citizens around the world by powerful individuals who still consider themselves superior to the intellectual masses of the globe, who still believe it is possible to orchestrate coups d'état unnoticed, as if they were operating within the bounds of the law.

None of us are stupid, Mr. Franco, and neither Mercosur nor Unasur need "white" coup plotters in their ranks. I prefer no common market at all to an association that shelters coup plotters like you.

And I'm not just speaking for the "Brasiguaios," who have brought so much development to their country. I'm speaking on behalf of an entire Latin America tired of abuses and contradictions, first exploited by Iberian colonists, then plundered by neoliberals, and today internally divided between pseudo-radicals who insist on justifying themselves as victims of old and neo-colonialism, and others who have understood that it is better to accept possible ends than to opt for unacceptable means in the pursuit of unviable goals.

Carlos is a specialist in international finance from IBMEC-DF and currently provides consulting services to those interested in improving business relationships in the Middle East and Asia.