"The Republic of Paraguay is founded on the principles of representative, pluralistic, and participatory democracy, and enshrines its status as a sovereign and independent republic. These principles are proclaimed in the National Constitution from the very preamble and reiterated in various articles that clearly and unequivocally express their validity.

The first article of the Constitution states that the Republic of Paraguay shall be forever free and independent. Meanwhile, the second article reaffirms its status as a sovereign republic and clearly indicates that sovereignty in Paraguay resides with the people.

In light of this, the direct or indirect intervention of any state in the internal affairs of Paraguay compromises the independence and sovereignty of the Republic. It also violates the principles of international law that govern relations between states, with which Paraguay engages on equal footing. The principles mentioned above also translate into fundamental rights and guarantees for all individuals, which require that any sanction must minimally conform to due process and the inviolability of defense—rights widely recognized by the international community.

This is our legal framework, and it is within this framework that our government's actions take place. Our history is a long path of struggle and resilience, from independence, through two wars, which has allowed us to achieve the democracy that is fully in effect today. Democracy has enabled us to follow a path of institutional and economic transformation and progress, which has recently resulted in international recognition of the country's investment-grade status. We are proud of our history and the path we have traveled. That is why I am here today to communicate the position of the Paraguayan government regarding the recent statement issued by the U.S. Ambassador to Paraguay, Marc Ostfield.

I want to be very clear. We do not pass judgment on the use of administrative tools that are part of American legislation. However, we do have a position regarding the manner in which these administrative measures were communicated by the current American ambassador to Paraguay. Since the beginning of this government, we have gone through a period in which trust was built, so we received the media coverage and politicization of these administrative sanctions with displeasure.

For this reason, we are requesting that the American government accelerate the process of the ambassador's departure to prevent the loss of trust in an individual from damaging the historically maintained relationship.

The Republic of Paraguay has an excellent relationship with the United States and a shared history of principles and values. As strategic allies, we actively collaborate on regional and global issues related to defense, security, anti-corruption, trade, and investment. It is our firm desire to continue strengthening and deepening the fraternal relations between our countries."