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QUICK FACTS: PARAGUAY Size: 406,750 square kilometers - almost the size of the U.S. state of California Population: 6,669,086 Religions: Roman Catholic, 90 percent; Mennonite; and other Protestant Languages: Spanish (official), Guarani (official) Population below poverty line: 32 percent Average annual income: $1,400 USD Ethnic groups: mestizo (mixed Spanish and Amerindian), 95 percent Life expectancy: 75 years (Source: U.S. Central Intelligence Agency, World Factbook 2008; The World Bank 2006) |
Paraguay
In 1993, The Carter Center witnessed the first peaceful transition of power in Paraguayan history. Waging Peace Building a Model for Transparency The Carter Center and its Council of Presidents and Prime Ministers of the Americas have initiated a multiyear project to work with governments and civil society in the Americas to develop concrete strategies to fight corruption and ensure transparency of government transactions with business. Advances in the hemisphere could serve as a model for the rest of the world. Transparency will improve investor confidence, spur economic growth, provide better public services to the population, and increase public confidence in democratic institutions. At a high-level conference held May 4-5, 1999, leaders from across the hemisphere, including former Paraguay President Juan Carlos Wasmosy, came to The Carter Center to evaluate specific anti-corruption efforts and seek commitments from other governments to implement similar strategies in their own countries. Addressing Conflict In March 1999, President Carter issued a statement to the media denouncing the assassination of Paraguay Vice President Luis Maria Argaña. "This violent act was a blow to human rights and the rule of law in Paraguay, and the democratic community of nation-states should roundly condemn it," President Carter said. "Violence is never an acceptable method for resolving political conflict. I hope Paraguayans will use this tragedy to find ways to strengthen and prevent further threats to their democracy." Urging a Moratorium on Arms Sales Although Latin America spends relatively less on defense than most other regions, expenditures on expensive weapons systems divert scarce foreign exchange from more effective investments, including education. They also compel neighbors to spend more on defense and, by doing so, generate international tensions. Concerned about an arms race in Latin America, the Carter Center's Council of Presidents and Prime Ministers of the Americas urged governments in the region to pause before embarking on major arms purchases. Between April 1997 and March 1998, 28 current heads of government and 14 former heads of government signed a written pledge to accept a moratorium of two years on purchasing sophisticated weapons. Among the signatories was Paraguay President Juan Carlos Wasmosy. Monitoring Elections Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter, representing the Council of Presidents and Prime Ministers of the Americas, traveled to Paraguay to monitor the May 9, 1993, presidential election. Juan Carlos Wasmosy of the ruling Colorado Party was the clear victor in a fairly orderly election, the first time in history that Paraguay experienced a peaceful democratic transfer of power. Election Reports Final Report: Observing the 1993 Paraguay Elections (PDF), released Aug. 1, 1993 A 31-member international observer delegation sponsored by the National Democratic Institute for International Affairs (NDI) and the Carter Center's Council of Freely Elected Heads of Government witnessed Paraguay's May 9, 1993, national elections. |
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