SUMMARY

Paraguay gained its independence in 1811. It operates with a presidential republic under the constitution of 1992, which has been preceded by constitutions in 1967, 1939 and 1870. Since 1887, the Government of Paraguay has been dominated by two main political parties: the Liberal party and National Republican Association, a more conservative party that is commonly known as the Colorados. However, there are several smaller parties including the National Union of Ethical Citizens (UNACE) and the Beloved Fatherland Party (PPQ). Party affiliation has a stronger association with family allegiances and patronage than personal ideology, particularly in rural areas.

The Government of Paraguay was led by the Colorado Party (1887 – 1904) and by the Liberal party (1904 – 1940). In 1940, President José Félix Estigarribia was killed in a plane crash and replaced by General Higinio Morínigo, which ended 36 years of Liberal party rule. President Morínigo served until 1948, when leadership of the government returned to the Colorado party (1948 – 2008). This period of Colorado leadership was turbulent; it experienced a succession of brief Colorado party presidencies with most ending in coups until head of the Paraguay armed forces, General Alfredo Stroessner, staged a military coup with backing from the Colorado party in 1954. Subsequently, Stroessner served as president for 35 years and survived several coup attempts until he was eventually overthrown by General Andres Rodriguez in 1989 (see Government of Paraguay - Military faction (forces of Andres Rodriguez). Following this, Rodriguez took over the presidency and the Government of Paraguay greatly increased its tolerance for opposition groups. In 2008, leadership of the Government briefly diversified from the Colorado party with Fernando Lugo, member of the centre-left Patriotic Alliance for Change, being elected as President of a coalition government that included the Liberals as well as a number of smaller groups representing the interests’ indigenous groups, small farmers and left-wing unions. However, an impeachment for incompetence, which Lugo claimed was a “parliamentary coup”, was invoked in 2012 and he was replaced in the interim with his Liberal Vice President Federico Franco. Subsequent elections in 2013 led to the Colorado party returning to power with Horacia Cartes becoming the elected President in April.

As of 2017, President Cartes remains in office. Up to 1994, the Government of Panama had 16 000 active armed forces personnel but this rose to 35 000 in 1996 and remained stable until numbers began dropping in 2000. The total number of active armed forces personnel has been between 24 000 and 26 000 since 2004.