Rancher Released

The left-wing group Ejército del Pueblo Paraguayo (EPP) released wealthy rancher Fidel Zavala on January 17, after holding him captive for more than 90 days. The news comes after Vice President Federico Franco called on the government to instigate a 'state of exception' in northern Paraguay, accusing President Fernando Lugo of failing to take the necessary steps to ensure internal security in the country. Indeed, while Zavala's release comes as a rare morale boost for President Lugo, it is unlikely to have a lasting impact on the entrenched political divisions in the country, in our view.

To read the full article, please choose one of the following options: