Paraguay, 2007

The Government of Paraguay comes to the Assembly to

reaffirm its importance in examining the world

situation. We have also come in order to further

strengthen the United Nations as a body fit to represent

the interests of all countries and ensure the

effectiveness of international law.

For that reason, Sir, I express my support for your

successful presidency of the General Assembly at its

sixty-second session. It is urgent for us to contribute

not only to meeting the objectives of the United

Nations, but also to ensuring that the principles

governing its functioning truly find expression. The

world needs a better, more just and brotherly world

order now.

From this lofty universal rostrum, we customarily

speak with eloquent urgency, but the practice of States,

in particular of the most powerful, has not always been

one of cooperating in order to overcome the

uncertainties that overshadow our future.

In recent sessions of the Assembly, we have

focused on the challenges of the new millennium, but

while we have been looking far ahead, in the first

decade of this new century alone, relations among

civilizations have clearly been marred by an absence of

peace and harmony.

It has not mattered that more than half of the

world’s population continues to live in poverty. Of

greater importance has been the senseless squandering

of money on weapons and the terrible effect this has

had on the world economy. Note how the price of oil

has rapidly increased and how countries, such as ours,

which do not produce oil, have had to make great

sacrifices. How much money could have been used to

alleviate poverty! As long as capital is concentrated in

one area and poverty continues to rise, world peace

will be precarious.

In Paraguay, in South America, we are calling for

the globalization of democracy combined with social

development. We are calling for the universalization of

security based on respect for human rights and on the

dignity of human life.

In this way we hope to build a regional

community and a global union, which will work

together to eradicate hunger and extreme poverty, and

which will effectively cooperate to promote the

participation of all in prosperity by providing quality

education and a system of social protection without

exclusion.

In Paraguay, we are struggling for economic

stability, for political stability and for social peace.

With these ideals, I have been working very hard at the

head of the Government to make significant changes

and score important advances. We have sought radical

change beyond what is needed by the Paraguayan

society. The achievements we have attained require

that we continue the progressive policy to which we

committed ourselves when we assumed office.

Since we took office in 2003, following a

turbulent transition that was constantly undermined by

violence and conspiracy, Paraguay has institutionalized

political stability not an easy task in an environment

of political division and with a parliament that did not

always meet its responsibilities in governing jointly.

Nevertheless, political stability has been, and continues

to be, one of the defining characteristics of our

Government. Through great perseverance, we have

succeeded in permanently institutionalizing political

stability. We did so because I understood that stability

had to be the framework for achieving economic

development, which is so crucial to achieving our plans

for incremental growth. Having achieved economic

stability, we began a process of growth of historic

proportions. After 20 years, Paraguay was able to

overcome stagnation. Despite the terrible drought in

the country, which continues to this day, Paraguay

experienced an average annual rate of economic

growth of 4 per cent for the period 2003-2007.

Moreover, my country has also recorded a

budgetary surplus. We have also markedly improved

our tax receipts and are waging a difficult battle to

control inflation. Through that policy, not only have we

considerably increased our financial reserves, which

have tripled, but for the first time in its history

Paraguay is today able to pay its foreign debt in full

and still continue to hold international reserves. Our

exports are at a historical high, having doubled during

my term of office. Another relevant factor has been the

sustained growth in per capita production, which will

rise from $915 to $1,800 by the end of my mandate, in

2008.

More generally, the Government has been

pursuing plans aimed at strengthening various areas of

the economy, including the industrial, commercial and

service sectors. We have encouraged the transformation

of the country’s economy while coordinating and

integrating the various sectors of production and

facilitating the distribution, circulation and

consumption of domestically produced goods. We have

thereby been able to lower the rate of poverty we

inherited from previous Governments which is now

approaching 38 per cent, down from the 46 per cent at

which it stood in 2003.

However, the poverty and marginalization of

millions of our fellow citizens continues to be the most

obvious threat to democracy and political stability in

Paraguay as well as the region. Our belief that we will

continue to overcome poverty is due to the

Government’s significant investment in society. Never

before have so many houses been built nor more

resources devoted to the most vulnerable members of

our society. Next year, we will earmark 50 per cent of

the country’s budget for the fight to reduce poverty.

As a multi-ethnic country, we have not ignored

the education of our indigenous citizens. We have built

schools and established special programmes. As a

bilingual country, we have both ensured Guaraní-

language education at all levels and worked towards

having it recognized as a third official language of the

Common Market of the South (MERCOSUR). Prior to

the establishment of present-day borders, Guaraní was

also spoken in Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay and Bolivia.

The Government over which I preside has

ensured unfettered political freedom, as well as

freedom of the press, association and expression.

Unfortunately, the media have not always taken

advantage of the freedom of the press in order to

become channels for truthful information, serious and

responsible opinion and constructive and reasoned

criticism much less to overcome its vestigial

Manichaeism and instead to become a source of culture

and daily provider of knowledge and ethical values.

Political parties are independent and represented

in the parliament. Those not in parliament exercise

their rights freely as new political parties are formed.

There is in fact pluralism in Paraguay, although

the absence of an adequate civic culture on the part of

most political actors has kept it from genuinely

contributing to the essential consensus needed to

defend the country’s overall interests and promoting

equitable development within it. Unfortunately,

remnants of fascism and conservatism continue to

hamper coexistence in an environment of diversity and

difference, while also conspiring against the country’s

progress.

Nevertheless, our struggle for a participatory and

inclusive democracy that promotes social justice has

transformed the governing party. Today’s governing

party is promoting an advanced philosophy of social

change. It is also the political organization generating

renewal and social mobilization to overcome the old

party-based oligarchy that was so damaging to

Paraguay. The party has therefore assumed

responsibility for transforming the system whereby the

State and its policies were subjugated to individual

interests. Through its political independence, the party

is in a position to able to eliminate illegitimate

privileges and the illicit groups that control the

economy, finances and large land holdings.

We are continuing to modernize Paraguay by

linking the entire country with roads, exponentially

expanding its economy and ensuring that all citizens

become part of the nation’s social capital and possess

the qualities and competitiveness required by today’s

societies. Most of the people of Paraguay understand

that the historic steps we have taken in that direction

must continue and become irreversible. Today, anarchy,

demagoguery and theological feudalism pose a

regressive threat to peace, the secular State, the rule of

law and the institutional order we are building.

Paraguay is the most open and dynamic country

with regard to the regional integration agenda. Our

support for MERCOSUR is a clear reflection of our

national policy. We believe in MERCOSUR. We

believe in regional integration. We believe in the

possibility of Latin America having a louder voice in

the world in order to manage and humanize the process

of globalization.

My Government also endorses and supports the

proposed union of South American nations, which will

above all make us stronger in claiming and defending

our rights in an environment of asymmetrical

globalization and better able to contribute to world

peace and more equitable distribution of international

trade and financing for development.

The international mobilization of financial and

technological resources is today threatening the

stability and overall progress of countries. Speculative

investments flow to countries and regions where the

work force is subjected to exploitation. Then comes the

invasion; and, through unfair competition, our

industries are damaged and shut down. At the same

time, our raw materials are undervalued. What capital

should do is to promote industrialization, or at least

ensure that the terms of trade become fairer instead of

being imposed unilaterally.

We have to change this trend. The international

economic order should promote a more equitable world

economy. Through solidarity, cooperation and fair

treatment, all countries of the world should be admitted

into the club of development. In Latin America, and in

Paraguay, we don’t need charity; we need markets,

transparency, technology, and the lifting of protective

trade barriers.

The United Nations should reflect this

philosophy. For this reason, its reform cannot be

delayed any longer. Its priority concerns should not be

war, armed conflict or even terrorism, whether real or

strategic. On the contrary, its priorities should be

programmes to end poverty, ignorance and

unemployment. We must educate and distribute in

order to build a culture of democratic participation in

the wealth of humanity.

Paraguay, like the other 30 landlocked developing

countries, continues to suffer marginalization and a

lack of proper access to international markets. The

absence of preferential treatment for us from the more

developed economies has denied us a more competitive

participation in trade, as well as, access to quotas and

to higher tariffs.

Paraguay is not only aware of the serious

consequences of climate change; it also suffers from

them. Proof of this is the catastrophe our country is

suffering through prolonged drought and the dreadful

fires that have destroyed a major part of our territory. I

take this opportunity to express my deepest gratitude

on behalf of my people and my Government to the

countries that have come to our aid in this national

emergency. In particular, I would like to thank, from

this rostrum, my friend Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva,

President of Brazil, Nestor Kirchner, President of

Argentina, my friend President Chavez of Venezuela,

and the other heads of Government and multilateral

organizations that have worked with us.

Paraguay recognizes the importance of including

gender issues in the agenda of the United Nations and

the need for effective coordination among all agencies

and organs in the United Nations system in addressing

the situation of women in the world, particularly in

developing countries. Increasingly and emphatically,

we reject existing inequalities between men and

women whether they be political, economic, social or

cultural. Irrespective of the domestic actions we take to

combat discrimination, we believe that the United

Nations is the most appropriate forum for designing

programmes in support of national policies to bring

about true equality.

The Government of Paraguay would also like to

take this opportunity to express once again for its

support for the request for admission into the United

Nations of the Republic of China, Taiwan, a nation that

has continued to struggle for its freedom and wishes to

be a member of the United Nations in accordance with

Rules 59 and 60 of the Provisional Rules of the

Security Council and Article 4 of the United Nations

Charter.

In conclusion, inequalities among our peoples are

not part of the human condition. On the contrary, they

are the result of iniquitous relations that separate us

and draw us apart. That being the case, we need only to

show determination in building a universal community

marked by greater equanimity and balance. This

determination should be given expression by

governments and citizens and should draw on the

concerted efforts of States and civil society.

What we are seeing, however, is that the

countries that have most want more. Their humanism is

disguised in hand-outs and philanthropy when what the

world needs is greater solidarity and justice. We need

to share science and technology; we need to share

markets. The pretence of cooperation to help countries

achieve balanced development is not only denounced

in fruitless rhetoric; it is also exposed in protectionism

and in investment choices.

As long as this bipolar situation continues to

prevail in the world, an organization such as the United

Nations serves little purpose. Only when the powerful

countries stop taking advantage of the less powerful

countries will the United Nations be able to have a true

impact on the lives of people.

This alternative is the process that we are

involved in today. Many Governments representing

countries in the Third World have begun to seek our

own freedom. We are drawing a new map on the

international scene.

I am compelled to mention this historic challenge

in my final statement to the General Assembly of the

United Nations because on 15 August 2008, I will hand

over power to the new Government in my country. But

I will continue to fight with greater fervour to help

change the world. I am committed as ever to the

difficult struggle to build a new world order, to ensure

equality, social justice and solidarity for all countries,

for all women and for all men. I will fight for their

emancipation and their progress.