Shortly before, the United States ambassador in Asunción, Marc Osfieldin a press conference at the diplomatic delegation, accused Velázquez of being corrupt and announced his inclusion in the blacklistwhile in Washington the Secretary of State, Anthony Blinkenissued a statement to the same effect.
The ambassador explained that the Vice President of Paraguay obstructed an investigation that threatened him and his financial interestsoffering a bribe of one million dollars to an official, reported Última Hora.
“The complaint of an alleged bribery was very volatile, I don’t know if there is a criminal case. I have no idea of the accusation. I must take care of the principles for which I have fought,” Velázquez defended himself. The incorporation in the American list also reaches his family.
The vice president also said that three minutes before Washington’s announcement, the president Mario Abdo Benitez informed him that his name was going to be included in the black list of the United States.
Who is Hector Velazquez?
Héctor Velázquez, who was for years a prosecutor in the area of the Triple Border between Paraguay, Argentina and Brazilwas a candidate for the presidency of Paraguay in the internal elections of the ruling Colorado Party that will take place at the end of December, representing the movement of President Abdo.
The United States had already targeted the former Paraguayan president Horace Carteswho ruled the country from 2013 to 2018, for obstructing “a major international investigation into transnational crime to protect himself and his criminal associate from possible prosecution and political harm.”
“All United States designations go through a rigorous review process of many months. For us, our priority as an embassy is to do everything possible to combat corruption and impunity and we will use all the elements that we have available,” he added. Osfield.
Source: Ambito
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