The State

Paraguay is a Republic headed and governed by a President and a Parliament which is divided in the Senate and the House of Parliament. Its constitution came into operation on August 28th 1967, and based on the basic rights of the already existing constitution of the year 1870. In 1992 the new constitution was adapted to the democratical changes. Every five years take place the Presidential elections. First the official parties elect their candidates internally. Every party has the right to nominate its elected candidates. Out of all the presented candidates, people vote for their preferred candidate, so that the future President is directly elected of the populace. The Parliament or Congress consists of 45 members of the Senate and 80 members of the House of Parliament. The greatest parties applying are: the ruling party ANR (Asociation National Republican) called "Colorados", the PLRA Party Liberal Radical Authentic called "Blue" or "Liberals", the Revolutionary Febrista Party (PRF), the Christian Democratics (PDC), the Encuentro National (EN) and the Party Humanistic (PH).

The candidates of the Colorado party had always the best chances to be voted, because in that party the capital join the elite of Paraguay, as well as the majority of the newspapers are in their possession. Of course these circumstances are a priceless advantage for them but a heavy disadvantage for their opponents. According to the constitution of June 1991 the Government is divided in three powers: Executive Power, Legislative Power and Judicial Power. Legislative Power is administrated by the Congress which members are directly voted of the populace every five years. The Congress controls the compliance with the laws and introduces new prescriptions. The President, and in his absence the Vice President, exercises the Executive Power, to which belong 11 Ministers. Judicial Power is guided by the Supreme Court of Justice. Further there are Tribunals of appeals for civil law, commercial law, criminal law and industrial law, and the Audit Office. Judicial Administration consists of Chief State Counsel, Public Prosecutors, Revenue-Officers and Judges of inferior instances. Unfortunately there are not many good things to tell about legislation and jurisdiction in Paraguay. A renovation and A adaptation reform is urgently needed. Now it can be said: who has got the money has got the power, too. People who cannot afford a lawyer are at the mercy of those ones who have the power. In the worst case a person without money and without a lawyer has to spend years in prison, unimportant if guilty or not. In Paraguay's legislation, an accused is considered guilty and he has to prove his innocence. Normally, if one goes by the rules and laws, he will not have any problems neither with the police nor with the justice. In case that one buys a house or a piece of land, this has to be registered in the land registry. Same procedure as in many other European countries, too. It is recommended to have checked the propriety's title by an official notary's office, to assure that it is free of tax debts, mortgages or claims of inheritance. Armed Forces are considered as a political rear cover with regard to home affairs, as there do not exist conflicts referring to foreign policy. Opponents are insisting in reforming the Army's structure but this is hard to achieve for every President. It exists an universal compulsory Military Service of one year. For those in the Chaco the service takes nine months. During their period of service the young and bald-headed recruits were called in public works like road works, sink wells or similar things of public utility. The service pay is nearly zero, it has a more symbolic character. The Public Health is operated by the Public Health Office and by the Social Insurance IPS, which is obligatory. Although there was made a progress, still exists a lack of hygienics in public hospitals. Most of the time medicaments, instruments or even doctors are missing. When the poor man goes to the health centre to have made some examinations, he firstly has to queue, then consult with the doctor, then go to a near-by drugstore to buy the medicine and/or equipment (like syringes for example), then go back to the doctor to receive the treatment. For European people unbelievable but true: there exist some private hospitals and insurance agencies where a family can be assured for about 500.- US$ per year, with excellent doctors and very good services. In and near Asunción are German- or English-speaking doctors and specialists.

We ourselves are lucky to know a German doctor living about 20 National Hospital in Itauguaminutes from our house. She is very trustful and has favourable prices. Our dentist is Paraguayan, very good, and with reasonable prices, for private patients, too. Worth mention it: Paraguay's beauty surgeons are champion class. Cosmetic corrections are common for women of the superior-class. And even here: prices are reasonable. Now we will take a look at the administration of the country: Paraguay is divided in 17 administrative districts, called "Departamentos", which are administrated according to the directives of the Central Government. Sparse colonized Chaco holds only three departementos: Presidente Hayes (Pozo Colorado), Boqueron (Filadelfia) and Alto Paraguay (Fuerte Olimpo). The others are situated in the thick colonized eastern region, and are the following ones: Concepción with its administration right there, San Pedro (San Pedro), Cordillera (Caacupé), Guairá (Villarrica), Caaguazú (Coronel Oviedo), Caazapá (Caazapá), Itapúa (Encarnación), Misiones (San Juan Bautista), Paraguari (Paraguari), Alto Paraná (Ciudad del Este), Central (Areguá), Neembucú (Pilar), Amambay (Pedro Juan Caballero) and Canindeyú (Salto del Guairá). The departamentos are divided in 174 districts, of which 43 are municipal. The remaining 131 districts are administrated by a municipal council headed by the Mayor (Intendente).

The State

The Democracy

On February 3rd 1989 General Andrés Rodriguez overthrew dictator Alfredo Stroessner, who had governed for 35 years. It was a relatively unbloody putsch. Democracy could move-in in Paraguay. On May 1st 1989 Andrés Rodriguez was confirmed as President with a majority of over 70% of the cabinet's votes, according to ancient universal suffrage. On May 9th 1993 were held the first liberal elections, which won Juan Carlos Wasmosy of the "Colorados" party. Jimmy Carter who was invited as observer, did in fact notice some irregularities, but considering the wide margin of votes in Wasmosy's favour, these irregulations would not have had any influence on the election, and so Wasmosy became the first not military President of Paraguay. Unfortunately, the progressing democracy was accompanied by disadvantages like increasing criminality. White-collar crimes in the amount of billions were cleared-up and in the years of 1995-98 various economical crisis caused bankruptcies and closures of national banks and financiers. On April 22nd 1996 Paraguay almost returned to dictatorship when the superannuated General Lino Cesar Oviedo did not accept his removal and menaced to make a putsch.

It was a hectic night, rumors say that President Wasmosy asked the American Embassy for protection, and thousands of young people were demonstrating in favour of democracy in front of the Governmental Palace. Statesmen of every South American country and even all the members of the House of Parliament came to answer for democracy. General Lino Oviedo, who was educated in Germany and who speaks German, finally handed over his post to his successor and entered in politics as a civilian. The reactions of the populace, especially those of the young people, were showing very clearly, that a relapse to dictatorship will not be accepted. In September 1997 the "Colorado" party made their internal elections to define the official candidates for the Presidential elections and Lino Oviedo won unexpectedly. According to endeavours of the Wasmosy-wing, Oviedo was sentenced by a military court to 10 years prison pronounced guilty for the attempt to make a putsch in 1996. Oviedo was immediately arrested. Thereupon Raúl Cubas Grau, who was Oviedo's candidate for the Vice President, was nominated and won the Presidential elections. Dr. Maria Argaña was elected as Vice President and was supported by the Wasmosy-wing.

In the morning of March 23rd 1999 Dr. Luis Maria Argaña's car was stopped and assaulted like in an action movie, and he and his driver were shot and his bodyguard was seriously wounded by unknown. After this had happened broke out tumults. From all over the country arrived demonstrators, most of them young people, who were demonstrating and calling for Raúl Cubas' resignation in front of the Palace of Government. They and the Opposition blamed President Cubas and ex-General Oviedo for Argaña's murder. Meanwhile had arrived thousands of "Oviedistas" (adherents of Oviedo) in Asunción and gave battles to the police and the young people. Unfortunately in those fights seven youngsters died. On April 28th late in the evening Raúl Cubas Grau announced his resignation and some hours afterwards Senator Luis Conzáles Macchi entered on duty as new President, under people's rejoicing. In the square in front of the Parliament some 100.000 people celebrated the solemn act. A clear victory of Democracy! Ex-President Cubas escaped to Brazil and ex-General Oviedo to Argentina. The former president Cubas fled to Brasil. The ex-general Oviedo first found refuge in Argentina, later on he exiled in Brasil. On the 15th of August Nicanor Duarte Frutos took place as president after free elections. In the year 2003 ex president Cubas Grau returned to Paraguay where he is under house arrest. In the year 2004 Lino Oviedo also returned and was arrested.