As
President of the Republic of Paraguay, I have the great
honour to speak in this global forum to address issues
that are relevant to my country and to today’s world in
general.
I extend a special greeting to the President of the
Assembly, Ambassador John Ashe, as well as to the
Secretary-General, Mr. Ban Ki-moon, in appreciation
of their work towards the noble goals that unite us.
Through their efforts, they contribute to the legitimacy
of the United Nations and help to ensure multilateral
cooperation and the international validity of the rule
of law.
It has been little more than a month since I took
office as President of the Republic of Paraguay, after
an exemplary electoral process that culminated on
21 April, when the Paraguayan people went to the polls
to freely exercise their guaranteed constitutional right
to elect their Government, with irrefutable results.
Electoral observer missions from various regional and
continental organizations, and from the United Nations
itself, were present and certified the legality, legitimacy
and transparency of the elections and the electoral
process, whereby the will of the people honoured me
with the highest office of our Republic. Those events
also represent the conclusion of a long transition
towards democracy in Paraguay. For the second, time
in our history, executive authority was consecutively
transferred from one political party to another with full
respect for the constitutional framework. That is no
small achievement in our 202 years of independence,
and it signals the true beginning of a new historic and
auspicious period for my country.
Republican institutionalism, the building of
consensus, the strengthening of the democratic system,
unconditional respect for human rights, and freedom
of speech and of the press are the cornerstones of
my Government, which aims to be an exemplar of
patriotism, honesty, inclusion and effectiveness, with
the capacity needed to propel Paraguay towards its
destined greatness.
The people of Paraguay have been waiting for a
great Government for a long time. I hope to be able
to deliver on that great vision, which will position my
country firmly on the global stage, where we want to
stand out by ensuring that we are a land of opportunity
for Paraguayans and foreigners alike. As has been said,
Paraguay is one of the most closely guarded treasures
of Latin America, and there are good reasons to hope
that it will have a promising future.
I have made combating poverty a priority for my
Government. It is incomprehensible that a nation so rich
in resources should have so many poor. We will give no
quarter in the fight to reduce our poverty indicators as
much and as quickly as possible. Change is coming, and
not through aid but by ensuring human dignity. Social
investment is at the forefront of my Administration’s
agenda. That is the new direction we want to take in
my country, with investment that is for the people, so
that they may live in dignity and become the engine of
our development, and, better still, so that the general
welfare of the people can become the firm basis of our
democracy.
My Government has also committed to a policy of
zero tolerance for corruption and an end to impunity.
We expect to face that challenge with the firm support
of the judiciary and the Office of the Attorney General.
Paraguay’s economy has enviable numbers. We
are the only country in the region that has not altered
its currency, the guaraní, since it was first introduced
in 1943. Our macroeconomic indicators are more than
encouraging. Paraguay is clearly suited to investment.
Nature has endowed my country with an enviable
climate, more than 90 rivers, abundant and fertile
soil and clean, renewable energy generated by three
hydroelectric power plants. One, Acaray, is entirely
Paraguayan-owned, while Itaipu and Yacyretá are
co-owned with Brazil and Argentina, respectively. The
latter are among the largest hydroelectric plants in the
world. We have one of the world’s largest freshwater
reserves, the Guaraní Aquifer, a great part of which lies
beneath Paraguayan territory.
Apart from the advantages of nature and abundant,
clean and renewable energy, the majority of Paraguay’s
population is young, with more than 75 per cent under
the age of 30. Our tax system is favourable to investment
and our economic growth clearly exceeds the average
for the region. My Government is committed to
ensuring legal security, with clear and transparent rules
for safeguarding people and their property.
Today we are a country with a revitalized economy
and a focus on efficiency, transparency and a reliable
public administration. A few weeks ago I was present
in our Congress at the signing of an agreement for
Paraguay, whereby the political parties represented
in the legislature, along with other social institutions,
committed to working together on framework
agreements and plans of action to strengthen governance
and attain material and spiritual goals for the people’s
welfare. In that way, we are seeking to maintain the
general good over that of the individual. We do that
through dialogue, which is the main instrument of
democracy. Together, we assume the responsibility of
making Paraguay a country of opportunity for all.
After visiting countries in Europe and the Americas
recently, I reflect on the great challenge posed by the
perception of my country beyond its borders. I have seen
with satisfaction the respect, admiration and interest
that Paraguay and its enormous potential give rise to.
Just as it is our responsibility as Paraguayans to build
predictability and reliability, it is for the branches of the
Government to provide the legal security necessary for
Paraguay’s overdue progress.
I would like to underline my Government’s
commitment to the defence and promotion of human
rights, which in Paraguay are fully acknowledged in
the Constitution. We assume that stance out of genuine
conviction, while my country is also a respectful
signatory of recognized international instruments in
that field.
The demands of landlocked developing countries
like Paraguay must be adequately addressed. Apart
from that, my Government is committed to overcome the
disadvantages posed by our inland status, making our
geographic position an advantage in communications,
logistics and infrastructure that connects the world’s
zones and regions through Paraguayan territory. In a
manner similar to that in which an old border dispute
between Paraguay and Brazil finally gave way to what
today is Itaipu, transforming a problem into a majestic
work of integration and development, we hope that
our landlocked position in the heart of Latin America
will serve as a development hub for Paraguay and its
neighbours.
On the international level, I cannot avoid mentioning
the upheavals that disturb our times. Economic crises,
financial disasters, civil wars and the use of weapons
of mass destruction cloud the horizons of great regions
of the planet.
The events in Syria are a concern for all of us, and
the United Nations must play a pre-eminent role in
finding a definitive solution to the conflict affecting
that country. In that regard, my country calls for
supporting the implementation of the framework
agreement between the United States and the Russian
Federation.
My Government has observed with satisfaction
that the Republic of China on Taiwan has achieved a
greater presence in the specialized agencies and bodies
of the United Nations, thanks to solid international
support and a rapprochement between both parties
on the Taiwan Strait. My Government will continue
to encourage the positive interaction between the two
sides of the Taiwan Strait in the international sphere.
The calm and determination of the nations and the
organizations able to help in conflict resolution are
more necessary than ever. Paraguay encourages peace,
dialogue and development in harmony with the other
countries and the world, promoting an integration that
is respectful of the rule of law, the dignity of nations and
the asymmetries. Integration is a phenomenon that in
this global era cannot be halted. Paraguay understands
and promotes integration in conditions of equality as
a means for supranational insertion, but under fair
conditions and looking towards a common future, not
as a simple courting of Powers or being a silent guest
in global forums that are discussing the future of our
peoples.
Paraguay’s contribution is essential in today’s
integrated reality and is indissolublely linked to our
dignity as a free nation, sovereign and independent,
under the premise of the right to the self-determination
of peoples and the principles of non-intervention and
the legal equality of States. The true destiny of the
people of Paraguay is to become a prosperous nation,
living in social peace, liberty, justice and equality.
My management of the Government is geared towards
creating and strengthening an environment suited to
the unlimited opportunities that my country offers for
all Paraguayans and for foreigners who have chosen
it. I have realized that my people neither want nor
seek handouts, but opportunities to achieve dignity
through work and study. My country therefore today
presents itself to the world as a land of opportunities
for investment and prosperity, with security, formality,
reliability and predictability.
On this occasion, I cannot fail to mention a key
issue — education. Traditional political discourse has
significantly undermined certain core ideas that my
Government intends to definitively turn into a reality.
Much has been said about the need for education,
security and health, but little has been done in that
regard. Improving education in Paraguay, in terms of
quantity and quality, is a fundamental premise of my
Government.
Today more than ever before, the great change
that must take place in Paraguay and the opening of
a wide window of opportunity depend on an efficient
and inclusive educational system. Institutions of public
education should rethink their role in society and assume
an unprecedented role as a breeding ground for leaders
for a new Paraguay, with a skilled workforce adapted to
this millennium, in an interconnected world where those
who possess more knowledge, information and abilities
are more likely to find more and better opportunities
for work, well-being and personal advancement. Those
countries that emphasized education from the beginning
are proud of their results. There is a clear and direct
relationship between education and development.
Education is therefore key. The issue is rooted
in the quality of training and is the key to escaping
geopolitical shakles, backwardness and a lack of
opportunities. For my country, the new rules that
govern the world therefore represent an access to the
ocean of development.
Speaking before the Assembly and the world for the
first time as President of the Republic of Paraguay, I
present the new direction that the Paraguayan people
freely and sovereignly chose on 21 April. I belong to
a nation whose children have contributed to history
with their prowess and boundless sacrifice, such as
the supreme sacrifice by our greatest hero, Francisco
Solano López, Field Marshal and President of the
Republic, who decided to give his life, sword in hand,
fighting on the front lines with his last soldiers, rather
than see his homeland humiliated. I have decided to
devote myself to the service of Paraguay and to bring
about the real change that my country demands, which
is to return to the path of the true Paraguayan destiny
of peace, development and modernity, and to grow in
harmony with all nations of the world, particularly with
our neighbours.
I assure the General Assembly that my country is
a very generous and attractive place. I invite the world
to learn more about Paraguay, to discover the treasure
that pulses in the heart of America, ready to write anew
the most glorious pages in its history, today in peace
and social and economic development, with dignity and
readiness to welcome all those who wish to share in our
great destiny.
We Heads of State are transients in Government.
History will judge us for what we have done for our
peoples and will sternly hold us accountable for what
we have failed to do. To honour the trust and hope of my
people, I have decided to commit myself wholly to the
service of my homeland and to do everything necessary
for its greatness and prosperity.
Paraguay considers it necessary, more than ever
before, to give greater impetus to the negotiating
process between Israel and Palestine in order to attain a
lasting peace, so that Israel and Palestine can live side
by side with secure borders and in peace.
As a final comment, I wish to convey my most
sincere condolences to the people of Kenya for the
casualties that resulted from the terrorist attack, an act
that we most vigorously condemn.