Next Paraguayan Foreign Minister sees strong ties to Venezuela

The government of Paraguay's President-elect, Fernando Lugo, will maintain close ties with Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez, with whom he feels politically identified, said the nominee for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Alejandro Hamed. The assertion of Hamed, whose nomination was reportedly objected by Washington due to his diplomatic career in the Middle East, sheds some light on the foreign policy of the next Paraguayan President, since he aims to favor ties with leftist governments in the region such as the Venezuelan, Bolivian and Ecuadorian administrations. Lugo will take office on August 15, amid great expectations, after he ended the 63-year reign of Colorado Party, the world's longest ruling party. The former Roman Catholic bishop surprised local analysts with the nomination of Hamed, a historian expert in Middle East affairs. Hamed was the Paraguayan ambassador to Lebanon.