Indonesia recalls ambassador to Brazil after 'delay'
Indonesia executed Brazilian man in January for drug offences while another Brazilian on death row awaiting execution
By Ainur Romah
JAKARTA
Indonesia has recalled its ambassador to Brazil after a formal ceremony to mark his appointment was postponed.
Indonesia's ministry of foreign affairs said in a statement late Friday that the host country had told Toto Riyanto that he did not have the right credentials, and called the action "unacceptable.”
The statement added that Riyanto was in the country's presidential palace with newly appointed diplomats from Venezuela, El Salvador, Panama, Senegal and Greece when Brazil's President Dilma Rousseff rejected his credentials.
Indonesia executed a Brazilian man in January for drug offences, and another Brazilian is one of several prisoners on death row in the country awaiting execution.
Brazil recalled its ambassador to the country in January, although he returned "about two weeks ago," ministry spokesperson Armanata told The Anadolu Agency on Saturday.
In remarks to reporters, Brazil President Dilma Rousseff said: "We believe the situation must evolve in order to be clear about the state of our relations with Indonesia."
She added that all that she had done "was to delay the reception of the credentials, no more than that.”
Indonesia's foreign ministry said in its statement that it had since summoned Brazil's Ambassador to Indonesia "to deliver a strong protest against the unfriendly actions."
It added that its Ambassador would return home "until a new schedule for the submission of credentials was established.”
The ministry said that Brazil -- along with other countries -- could not interfere with law enforcement in Indonesia, including that to eradicate drug smuggling.
Brazil had previously asked Indonesia not to execute Marco Archer, but he was killed Jan. 18.
Rodrigo Gularte - who is reported to be suffering from a mental disorder - is scheduled to be executed in Indonesia some time in the next few weeks. His appeal for clemency has been rejected by President Joko Widodo.
On Friday Indonesia's attorney general reaffirmed that two Australians on death row would be executed for drug trafficking, despite continued pleas for clemency.
Muhammad Prasetyo said that “nothing” could be done to stop the executions of Andrew Chan, 31, and Myuran Sukumaran, 33, adding that it would be better if they were carried out "as soon as possible.”
Prasetyo also confirmed that death row inmates with mental disorders would still undergo execution.
"There is no one rule that prohibits the execution of people with mental disorders," Kompas.com quoted him as saying Friday.
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