US Secretary of State Antony Blinken is urging Paraguay to continue working with Taiwan and other global democracies in the fight against COVID-19. His words came in a phone call with Paraguayan President Mario Abdo Benitez on Sunday.
President Abdo has come under fire for mishandling the COVID-19 pandemic. There have been violent protests against his government and calls for him to step down.
Blinken has condemned the violence in Paraguay but he has also emphasized the importance of freedom of speech, peaceful protests and the rule of law. He says working with Taiwan and other democracies to fight both the pandemic and corruption can also boost transparency and accountability.
Paraguay is Taiwan’s only diplomatic ally in South America. The country has reported nearly 180,000 COVID-19 infections, and over 3,400 deaths.
