Paraguayan opposition lawmakers Monday informed they will call for an impeachment trial against President Mario Abdo for his mishandling of the pandemic, which has sparked a wave of protests nationwide.
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The Guasu Front, the Liberal Party, and two opposition parties seek to remove Abdo from power amid the crisis faced by the healthcare system due to drug shortages.
Over the last five days, Paraguayans have been demanding in the streets the resignation of the entire cabinet. To respond to this demand, lawmakers also intend to impeach Vice President Hugo Velazquez.
"We have to do what the people are asking for. The government leaders have to leave through impeachment, resignation, or citizen pressure," Liberal Party lawmaker Celeste Amarilla said.
However, these parties do not have an absolute majority in the Senate to push for this impeachment. They just hold 29 percent of the seats.
Opposition leaders will need the support of lawmakers from the ruling Honor Colorado Party, of which President Abdo is a member. This conservative party's head Pedro Alliana assured he does not intend to support the motion and called it a "serious mistake".
Opposition lawmakers decided to promote Abdo's impeachment in rejection of the police brutality carried out during the protests, in which at least one person was killed and 20 were injured.