Paraguay leader stresses normalcy

— Paraguay’s newly sworn-in president set about forming a new government Saturday as he promised to honor foreign commitments, respect private property and reach out to Latin American leaders to minimize diplomatic fallout and keep his country from becoming a regional pariah.

In a brief appearance before international journalists, Federico Franco tried to broadcast a sense of normalcy a day after lawmakers overwhelmingly voted to kick President Fernando Lugo out of office.

“The country is calm. I was elected [as vice president] in 2008 by popular vote. Activity is normal and there is no protest,” Franco said.

His first two appointments were Interior Minister Carmelo Caballero, who will have the task of maintaining public order in this poor, landlocked South American nation, and Foreign Minister Jose Felix Fernandez, who will immediately hit the road to appease fellow members of the Mercosur and Unasur regional trade blocs.

“Our foreign minister will go to Argentina, Brazil and Uruguay to meet with authorities and explain to them that there was no break with democracy here. The transition of power through political trial is established in the national constitution,” Franco said.

Front Section, Pages 7 on 06/24/2012

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