Paraguay‘s vice president, Hugo Velazquez Moreno, said he will resign following U.S. sanctions laid against him over corruption allegations.
The inclusion of Velazquez on a corruption list shocked the South American nation due to the vice president’s high status and the fact that political observers saw him as a front-runner for the country’s next presidential election, according to the Associated Press. The U.S. ambassador to Paraguay, Marc Ostfield, publicly announced the accusation on Friday morning. Though he maintains his innocence, Velazquez offered to resign so he could focus on fighting the allegations.
“It really hit me like a bucket of cold water. I don’t know what he’s referring to because he didn’t give too many details,” Velazquez said in an interview with a local radio station right after the revelation.
FOUR SENTENCED IN DEATH OF HONEYMOONING PARAGUAYAN PROSECUTOR
He added that he is resigning in order to “go out like a common citizen to defend what I think is an injustice.”
Secretary of State Antony Blinken repeated the accusations Friday morning.
“Today the State Department designated Paraguayan Vice President Hugo Velazquez and associate Juan Carlos Duarte ineligible for entry to the U.S. for involvement in significant corruption. We stand committed to supporting democracy and promoting accountability for corrupt officials,” he wrote on Twitter.
Today the @StateDept designated Paraguayan Vice President Hugo Velazquez and associate Juan Carlos Duarte ineligible for entry to the U.S. for involvement in significant corruption. We stand committed to supporting democracy and promoting accountability for corrupt officials.
— Secretary Antony Blinken (@SecBlinken) August 12, 2022
Velazquez is accused of bribing a public official.
“At the request of Vice President Velazquez, Duarte, his close personal and professional partner, offered a bribe of more than $1 million to a public official” meant to “obstruct an investigation that threatened the vice president and his financial interests,” Ostfield said, according to the Associated Press.
President Mario Abdo Benitez of Paraguay expressed his shock at the news but expressed support with how his vice president was handling the situation.
“I congratulate him for his mature attitude in prioritizing the interests and the construction of credibility of our nation in announcing to the Paraguayan people that he will resign as a candidate and as vice president,” Abdo said.
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Paraguay has been rocked by accusations of corruption from the U.S. recently. Just a few weeks ago, former President Horacio Cartes, who led the country from 2013 to 2018, was also put on the U.S. corruption list, charges he denies. Specifically, the former president is accused of obstructing criminal investigations in order to protect his financial assets, getting involved with a foreign terrorist organization, and undermining Paraguay’s democratic institutions.
