Paraguayan President Fernando Lugo announced that he will not attend the inauguration of Colombian President-elect Juan Manuel Santos, but will send his vice president to represent him at the ceremony.
Colombia’s ambassador in Asuncion, Mauricio Gonzalez, confirmed that Paraguayan Vice President Federico Franco will attend the inauguration on Saturday August 7.
According to El Espectador, Lugo is unable to attend the inauguration due to scheduling conflicts.
While Colombia has strained relations with some countries in the region, it has a relatively trouble-free relationship with Paraguay. In March the two signed a cooperation pact in which they agreed to work together to fight terrorism and organized crime.