Paraguay may be reevaluating its alliance with Taiwan in the lead-up to its presidential election. That’s according to an AFP report released on Tuesday, two days after Taiwan and Honduras cut their diplomatic ties.
Paraguay is set to hold its presidential election in April. Opposition candidate Efrain Aldgre has pledged to re-evaluate the diplomatic relationship with Taiwan if he wins.
The Latin American nation is one of thirteen countries that still maintain diplomatic relations with Taiwan. The others include Guatemala, Belize, Haiti, the Holy See, Eswatini, and seven small Caribbean and Pacific island nations.
President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) plans to visit Guatemala and Belize this week, seeking to strengthen current ties as Taiwan continues to fend off China’s geo-political marginalization.
Paraguay’s former foreign minister Eladio Loizaga told AFP it seemed unlikely the country would decide to recognize Beijing over Taiwan. But Loizaga also admitted that there’s great political pressure behind the decision.