Marxism and military don't mix in Paraguay

[Bacchus39]

Marxism and military don't mix in Paraguay

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090520/ap_on_re_la_am_ca/lt_paraguay_military;_ylt=AsREzuNygO1bBSdGMkHODkS3IxIF

ASUNCION, Paraguay – President Fernando Lugo dismissed the heads of Paraguay's army, navy and engineering corps for allowing nearly 1,000 Marxist youth to host a congress on military grounds, the government said Wednesday.

Paraguay's constitution prohibits the military from involvement in political activities. The government's press office said on its Web site that Lugo has yet to decide whether the armed forces officials would be forced into early retirement or transferred to other posts.

Some 800 young Marxists from across Latin America gathered in Paraguay at the beginning of the month, flying flags with the image of leftist revolutionary Ernesto "Che" Guevara from an engineering corps' building during the three-day congress.

Gen. Alfredo Machuca was replaced by Gen. Oscar Velazquez as head of the army; engineering corps chief Col. Felipe Canete was replaced by Col. Roberto Bareiro; and Rear Adm. Claudelino Recalde took over for Ruben Valdez as head of the navy.

While Lugo did not comment on the military shakeup, opposition leaders called on the president to dismiss two government ministers who allegedly organized the gathering.

Youth Minister Karina Rodriguez and National Emergency Minister Camilo Soares should be removed from their posts for "compromising military institutions and for having cut short, with their mistakes, the careers of the heads of the armed forces," said Sen. Fernando Silva.