by Mathias Hariyadi

The President Dilma Rousseff has not accepted the credentials of the Indonesian delegate, in protest against the death sentence of a Brazilian citizen for drug dealing. The man is scheduled to be executed next week, but is schizophrenic. Indonesia confirms the executions of seven foreign drug traffickers and a compatriot.

Jakarta (AsiaNews) - Indonesia has recalled to Jakarta its ambassador-designate to Brazil, Toto Riyanto, in protest over the delay by the South American nation to accept the credentials of the Indonesian ambassador. The diplomatic incident took place ahead of the scheduled execution of a a Brazilian citizen being held in a prison in Central Java, sentenced to death for drug dealing. The execution will take place in seven days.

As per protocol, yesterday morning Riyanto was in the State of Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff to present his diplomatic credentials. However, suddenly the ambassador-designate was asked to leave the building.

As reported by the Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, his Brazilian counterpart asked Riyanto to leave the palace, in protest against the rigid position of the Indonesian administration regarding the pending execution of a citizen of the Latin American country.

"Currently - said Rousseff during the ceremony - we need to clarify our diplomatic relations with Indonesia."

The death row prisoner is 42 year old Rodrigo Gularte. According to media reports, the man suffers from schizophrenia and should be hospitalized in a psychiatric facility. On December 17, 2014 another Brazilian citizen, Marco Archer Cardoso Moreira, 53, was executed for drug trafficking.

Yesterday evening Jakarta Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi, confirmed that there will be no delay in executing the seven foreign nationals (of French, Brazilian, Australian, Ghanaian and Filipino nationality) and an Indonesian, all convicted of drug trafficking. "Our commitment to the war on drugs - he said - is not only meant to save our young people, but the whole world."

"This improper act - said the Indonesian Minister - is hard to believe and accept from the diplomatic point of view." Marsudi called the incident "a serious diplomatic faux pas", and added: "As an independent state, we have our rules and our legal system to protect national interests. Any foreign intrusion in our domestic affairs is not appropriate in matters that involve our firm commitment to fighting drug dealing".

 

• INDONESIA
• -
• BRAZIL
• executions
• drug
• trafficking
• diplomacy