Evening star., 1963-01-22
PoroquoY Elections

@AA VIZ AAANSAS Wv Va AoAA AACoog
desire to take exception to
the January is article by
George Sherman stating that
Paraguay is going through
the periodical ritual Of hold
ing mock elections next
MONTH" Exception may also
be taken to the statement,
". opposition parties have
refused to take part in the
elections"
The election to be held in
Paraguay on February 10 is
not a prearranged or
"rigged" election. There are
two major political parties
in Paraguay, the Colorado
Party and the Liberal Party,
the former presently being in
power. Both parties are rep
resented on the ballot next
month with candidates for
President and Congress.
I know of no evidence of
rigged machinery, intimida-
ton, and fraud" Voters are
entirely free to cast their
ballots for the candidates of
their choice, precisely as in
the United States.
I like to think of my coun-
try as being an island of
stability and security in the
troubled world of Latin
America. We are landlocked,
lying between two major
powers, each of which has
undergone major political
and economic disturbances
In the recent past. Political
ly, Paraguay is perhaps the
most Western-oriented of
any nation in South Ameri-
ca. We do not recognize any
of the Communist bloc
countries, we do not trade
outside of the Western world.
Both by our traditions of
freedom and our present po-
litical stability we are clear
ly allied with the United
States in its battle to pre-
serve the freedom of man
kind.
Economically, we have
consistently followed the ad-
vice of the international
Monetary Fund with the re-
suit that our currency is one
of the most stable in Latin
America and we look with
confidence to the long-term
economic development of our
nation.
We have never received
substantial quantities of eco
nomic assistance from the
United States. We have at
tempted to the best of our
ability to stand on our own
feet and solve our problems
as best we can.
Our history is that of a
proud and independent peo-
pie, best illustrated by a war
fought against all three of
our neighbors 100 years ago
to preserve our independence
IN which our then popula-
ton of 100000 persons was
decimated and only some
10000 males survived.
That spirit of freedom and
independence remains to this
day. Some of our friends in
the United States believe
that spirit should be encour-
aged rather than deprecated
by misinformation.
The government and the
people Of Paraguay are
grateful for the friendship of
the United States and for
the assistance as it has from
time to time given us. We
hope indeed, as your natural
and spiritual allies, that you
Will come closer TO us and
not be drawn apart from us.
Juan Plate,
Ambassador Of Paraguay.
Editors note: Ambassador
Plate glCsses over the point
that the Liberal Party" so
far represented on the COM
ing ballot is in fact a small
dissident faction OF the main
opposition Liberal Party, and
is In league with the ruling
Stroessner government. The
leadership Of the principal
opposition has so far refused
TO participate In the elections
because the government has
withheld guarantees of a free
election. 1t must also be noted
that the present Paraguayan
Congress is composed OF the
ruling Colorado Party. The
seats Of the Liberal Party are
vacant as the result OF a boy
colt. Furthermore, upwards
OF 100000 Paraguayans -
more than fifth OF the
total population - currently
live I'm political exile in neigh
boring countries.l