Page Seven / La Paz
Mario Cronenbold, now a former ambassador, sank his diplomatic mission in Paraguay in less than 15 days, after broadcasting a video, in which he uses an audio from Tik Tok about how his voice changes to Guarani when he takes tereré. The Paraguayan Chamber of Deputies declared him persona not grata.
Cronenbold presented his credentials on October 21 to the Foreign Minister of Paraguay, Euclides Acevedo Candia. At the meeting they agreed to join efforts to strengthen the Paraguay – Paraná Waterway.
In an interview with Página Siete, published on September 19, Cronenbold revealed the mission that President Luis Arce gave him. “President Arce told me: ‘Brother, you are going to Paraguay and I want the exit to the Atlantic Ocean to become a reality’ and that will be a priority, that the Paraná-Paraguay Waterway be made through the Tamengo channel,” he said then.
However, after presenting his credentials, Cronenbold released the controversial video, and yesterday, 14 days after his meeting with the Paraguayan Foreign Minister, it was known that he was dismissed on November 1.
The Chamber of Deputies of Paraguay declared Cronenbold a person not welcome last day. The declaration, called De repudiation of the expressions made by the Ambassador of the Plurinational State of Bolivia, Mr. Mario Cronembold Aponte, was unanimously approved in that instance.
In the explanatory statement, Walter Harms, president of the Foreign Relations Commission and promoter of the declaration, indicated that the video generated a “dishonorable situation” towards the culture of Paraguay.
“I believe that this conduct is not consistent with the behavior that a diplomat, representative of a sister country, must have, which offends and offends, not only the cultural values rooted in the Paraguayan people, but also emits in some way a subliminal message in against our native language ”, he expressed.
After knowing that, the Foreign Ministry issued a statement, in which it states that Cronenbold was summoned by that office to establish itself in La Paz, and that after receiving his report, he was dismissed on November 1.
Gustavo Aliaga, diplomat and deputy of the Citizen Community, indicated that the procedure that the Foreign Ministry had to follow in the case is that when it was summoned it should have been withdrawn and a note of excuse should also have been sent.
“As Bolivia allowed more than 48 hours to pass, Paraguay, also pressured by its society, has decreed persona no grata. This is very serious, it must now be forcibly removed. And this is a bad message because it shows how upset Paraguay was, but also a bad message for our bilateral relationship, “he said.
Diplomat Julio Alvarado commented: “Last week I suggested that Cronenbold be fired, but since they don’t have professional diplomats, they waited for him to be fired. National shame ”.
“I think that this behavior is not consistent with the behavior that a diplomat must have.”
Walter Harms, MP from Paraguay
“It must now be forcibly removed. And this is a bad message because it shows how upset Paraguay was ”.
Gustavo Aliaga, diplomat and deputy of CC
