Martín Burt and Enrique Riera participated in the debate on Fuego Cruzado. Photo: GEN capture.
34 years after democracy was established in Paraguay after the fall of the dictatorship, there are still several pending debts and issues to be resolved. Senator Enrique Riera and the liberal politician Martín Burt analyzed this issue and addressed the weak points that remain in force.
In interview with the crossfire program broadcast by GEN/Media Nation, Burt noted that what General Andrés Rodríguez and the military did that carried out the coup of February 2 and 3, 1989 drastically changed the history of Paraguay.
“We have a thriving democracy, freedom of the press, electionsof course there are many debts, each generation has to do something new and deepenThere is a lot of injustice in Paraguay. Politics melted everything in its path but I am optimistic that we are going to get ahead, “he said.
For his part, Senator Enrique Riera maintained that freedom “is the engine of change” and without freedom there is no way to livehighlighting that historical event that it allowed our country to free itself from the oppression of Alfredo Stroessner after more than 30 years of dictatorial rule.
#Crossfire ? @martinburt: “Politicians have not known how to give back to citizens” ☝️
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?@BenjaLivieres and @cinthia_mora pic.twitter.com/v5Z8R87dgK— SomosGENAhora (@SomosGENAhora) February 6, 2023
Burt admitted that there is a disbelief towards democracy because politicians have not been able to reward citizens with job opportunities and equal opportunities. “What irritates is that some have all the privileges for their connections and others do not”. In turn, Riera pointed out thatur democracy “has very large social debts”.
The ANR legislator indicated that, despite the passing of the years, we are still in the process of building democracy and in that construction many politicians “did not have the opportunity to see other systems nor the opportunity to live in another way”.
As an example, he mentioned the case of compatriots who cross the border, settle in other countries and automatically change their perception and customs, given that “They feel that the system works there and here it doesn’t”, for compliance with the law, the will and other aspects.
#Crossfire ? @martinburt: “Since Stroessner fell, no one else is afraid of the Armed Forces” ?️
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?@BenjaLivieres and @cinthia_mora pic.twitter.com/fLMkYa7UaT— SomosGENAhora (@SomosGENAhora) February 6, 2023
Burt also talked about creating new institutions in the democratic era such as the Jury for the Prosecution of Magistrates or the Council of the Magistracy and He classified them as “failed institutions” since, when creating the new Constitution, “They did not know how to free the Judiciary from politics”. “Paraguay is on its way to being a failed stateIf the institutions continue as they are, drug trafficking is going to take over the country,” he added.
On the responsibility of politicians and parties, Riera believes that the essential thing is not “to change the championship or the clubs, but to change the players”so urge to democratic participation in order to contribute positively to democracy, with “players of better political quality”.
“In these 30 years, if we look at the historical context, we are crawling in democracy. We had our own history we have our cultural burdens”, indicated the Colorado parliamentarian.
#Crossfire ? @EnriqueRieraE: “I could see small battles lost and others won” ?
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?@BenjaLivieres and @cinthia_mora pic.twitter.com/3bBJf9OEra— SomosGENAhora (@SomosGENAhora) February 6, 2023
Riera also spoke about the importance of respecting the popular will and having an active and participatory democracy after the election of the authorities, so that citizens exercise the role of controller of the principals on duty.
At the same time, Martín Burt believes that the revolution that Paraguay needs will come from a “new social class” what will he look for occupy important positions on their own merits and not through contacts or political affinities, setting an example of honesty and meritocracy.
#Crossfire ? @martinburt: “We are not doing things well, but Paraguay is progressing” ☝️
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?@BenjaLivieres and @cinthia_mora pic.twitter.com/zV6mcCVEqu— SomosGENAhora (@SomosGENAhora) February 6, 2023
