Paraguay president travels to Brazil for emergency treatment of infection, leaves VP in charge

Paraguay’s Lugo to Brazil for urgent treatment

ASUNCION, Paraguay — Paraguayan President Fernando Lugo, who is battling cancer, has left his No. 2 in charge while he travels to Brazil for an emergency procedure to treat an infection.

Dr. Lugo Eugenio Baez says surgeons will drain a buildup of fluids in Lugo’s neck that was caused by an infection related to a dental problem.

The 59-year-old president will be at Sao Paulo’s Sirio Hospital, where he has also been undergoing treatment for non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma.

Hematologist Alfredo Boccia said Lugo is at high risk for infection because chemotherapy has lowered his white blood-cell count.

Under the constitution, Vice President Federico Franco is running the country for the next five days.

(This version CORRECTS in headlines that procedure to treat infection)