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1 1 (May 26, 2023)

handle is hein.crs/goveltv0001 and id is 1 raw text is: Congr ssana I Iifringi he~ Neisat tsearch Se nbate sinc 1914 Updated May 26, 2023 Paraguay: An Overview Paraguay is a landlocked country in South America bordered by Argentina, Bolivia, and Brazil. The United States has had close relations with Paraguay for decades, providing assistance to counter corruption and spur trade and economic development. The United States and Paraguay also work together closely on counterterrorism and counternarcotics, among other security issues of interest to some Members of Congress. Recently, State Department-imposed visa sanctions against top Paraguayan leaders have caused some bilateral tensions. Political Background Paraguay had a turbulent political history in the 19th and 20th centuries. In the War of the Triple Alliance (1864- 1870), Paraguay lost one-quarter of its original territory to its opponents-Argentina, Brazil, and Uruguay-and more than half of its population died. Political instability followed for several decades, including three civil wars in the first half of the 20th century. For 35 years, from 1954 until 1989, General Alfredo Stroessner ruled as an anti- communist military dictator; he ultimately was overthrown by a military coup. Paraguay's next government enacted a more democratic constitution in 1992, and the country has held competitive elections since 1993. The conservative Colorado Party (Partido Colorado, also known as the National Republican Association-Colorado Party or ANR-PC) has dominated Paraguay's political system. It held power for much of the 20th century, including under the Stroessner dictatorship, and won nearly every election held since the democratic transition. The only exception was in 2008, when former Catholic bishop Fernando Lugo, affiliated with the main opposition party, the Partido Liberal Radical Autentico (PLRA), won the presidency. The Colorado-led congress impeached Lugo in 2012, removing him from office in a rapid process that was condemned by neighboring countries. The 2013 election of Horacio Cartes returned governmental control to the ANR- PC despite allegations of Cartes's involvement in money laundering and narcotics trafficking. His attempt to override the prohibition against reelection in 2017 failed but sparked protests, including the partial burning of the capitol in Asunci6n. President Mario Abdo Benftez of the Colorado Party was elected in April 2018, defeating an opposition alliance by a margin of less than 4%. He was inaugurated in August 2018 for a five-year term. The Colorado Party won a majority of the seats in the Chamber of Deputies and a plurality in the Senate. The party divided into competing factions: Honor Colorado, led by former President Cartes, and the smaller Colorado Aietete, led by President Abdo Benftez. Although former President Cartes helped defeat two opposition attempts to impeach President Abdo Benftez in 2019 and 2021, intraparty tensions continued to grow during Abdo Benitez's term in office. Paraguay at a Glance Population: 7.6 million (2023 est, IMF), 95% of whom identify as mestizo, a mix of Spanish and Indigenous Guarani descent. Area: 157,047 sq. miles, slightly smaller than California (CIA) GDP: $42.8 billion (2022 est., current prices, IMF) Per Capita GDP: $5,670 (2023 est., current prices, IMF) Top imports: mineral fuels (16.5%), electrical machinery (15.6%), nuclear reactors and machinery (1 1.6%) (2022, TDM) Top exports: meat (18.4%), mineral fuels (15.6%), cereal 15% (2022, TDM) Key trading partners: Brazil (29.5%); Argentina (20.6%); China (9.6%) (2022, total trade, TDM) Legislature: Bicameral Congress, with 45-member Senate and 80-member Chamber of Deputies Sources: International Monetary Fund's World Economic Outlook Database (IMF); Central Intelligence Agency's World Factbook (CIA); World Bank (WB); and Trade Data Monitor (TDM). 2023 Elections Santiago Pena, a former finance minister under Cartes, was Honor Colorado's presidential nominee in the April 30, 2023, general elections. Several opposition parties from center right to the left formed an alliance, the Concertacion Nacional, and selected Efrafn Alegre as their presidential candidate. Colorado candidate Pena won a comfortable victory, with 43% of the vote to Alegre's 27.5%, belying pre-electoral polls suggesting Alegre's growing support might present a strong challenge to the Colorado Party. The most surprising result was the third-place finish of right- leaning, independent candidate Paraguayo Cubas, with 23% of the vote. Pena is scheduled to be sworn in as president on August 15, 2023. His party won majorities in both the Senate and lower chamber and 15 of 17 contested state governorships. Economic and Social Conditions Paraguay's economy is driven largely by agricultural exports-primarily soybeans and beef-and electricity generated by the binational Itaipd Dam. Its dependence on commodities exports and informal labor, which exceeds 60% of the workforce (per U.N. Development Programme statistics), has perpetuated social and economic inequities, according to some analysts. Although Paraguay initially appeared to be coping well with the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, deaths surged in 2021. As of March 2023 (latest data

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