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".