Paraguay is a landlocked country situated in the centre of South America. The Paraguay river is the axis of its geography and also of its history. At the beginning of the Spanish conquest it was known as the “Giant Province of the Indies”; but successive conquerors reduced it to its present area which is 406,752 square kilometres with a population of approximately 5,218,835 (native Indian population is approximately 61,858 inhabitants). Paraguay borders with Brazil in the north and east, with Argentina in the south and with Bolivia in the west. Its river dominates and has given the country it’s name, it originates in the “Mato Grosso brasileño” and is 2.236 km long. The whole stretch of river is navigable all year round, and is one of the principal routes of communication with the rest of the world.
Totally immense in the extensive Cuenca del Río y la Plata, it’s lands are enclosed by the Paraná river to the east and the Pilcomayo to the west. Both meet at the river-axis which runs from north to south, dividing in two at the territory, to flow together into the Atlantic opposite Buenos Aires and Montevideo.
The two regions which divide the river: The eastern region (159.827 km²) and the western or Chaco region (246.925 km ²), are two areas of incredible physical contrast. The history of this country cannot be understood without remembering the effect which the coexistence of these two geographical realities situated opposite each other with the river in between had on all it’s generations, .
1.1 The Eastern Region
The eastern region situated in between the Paraguay and Paraná rivers and was chosen by the Spaniards for conquest and colonisation. The subtropical climate is healthy. Mostly warm than cold, with regular rain and moderate winds. Irrigated by a fan of rivers and streams that form successive regions, some of which flow towards the Paraguay river and the others towards the Paraná river.
On its rich soils are large forests, rich grasslands and a mountainous area covered with thick vegetation, with a height of never more than 1.000 metres. The three main mountain ranges are Amabay, Mbaracayú and Caaguazú, almost all situated to the north near to Brazil. The Guairá faults, were formed by the Mbaracayú mountain range and go to the south-east and south, taking different names. In the centre is the mountain range of smaller hills. There are no precious metals in the sub-soil. Its main lakes are the Ypacaraí and the Ypoá.
The eastern region is where the greatest number of the population is established (97.4 %), the most important towns, the largest agricultural areas and it’s industrial establishments. A road network joins it and integrates it, joining the catchment areas of it’s large rivers from east to west. Today many of them are covered with asphalt but the majority are just levelled out. Only one rail route links the capital with Encarnación in the south, opposite the Republic of Argentina.
1.2 The Chaco or Western Region
It is like a flat prairie of torrid climate with an incline from the north east to the south east. The vast western flat area, which comprises of 61% of the national territory does not have navigable rivers or streams. Few and isolated are the small hills which interrupt its flat and sparse vegetation, as there is no protection from the harsh sun it burns the soil. The lack of water was always the drama of the western region. The climate is dry and the extremes in temperature worsen this. The soil is clayey, hindering the roads but is fertile if it can be irrigated. In the higher, northern part called Alto Chaco, there is good pasture land. It is the least populated region (2.6%) in the whole country.
The central region and the Baja area are flooded by the thaw of the Andes and the overflow of the rivers form immense swamps. This is mostly covered with black and white palm trees, carob trees, small thorns etc. Its extensive pastures are good for raising livestock for their high salt content. Cattle raising is the main economic activity. Its population is very scarce: less than 1 inhabitant per square kilometre. Around 1926 they set up small colonies in the central region which today are prosperous, economic emporiums. They cultivate cotton, groundnut plant, soya and maize and have set up important milk product industries. The main route of communication is the Transchaco route.
Before and during the colony, El Chaco was the home to the most ferocious and primitive tribes of America, raised in deadly and perpetual threat against the Guaranies of Paraguay (native population of about 34.518 inhabitants). A long time after civilisation the tribe had to start an international fight to preserve their sovereignty being of vital importance to the development of the country.
2.1 Natural Resources
The countries natural resources consist fundamentally in the abundance of soils suitable for agriculture and breeding livestock, forest reserves, and the potential energy of it’s rivers. It does not have rich minerals or oilfields, whose exploration and exploitation has been until now unsuccessful. However, the hydroelectric factory of Itaipú, a shared bi-national undertaking with Brazil, and the recapture of the Yacyretá, which is being constructed in joint ownership with Argentina, consist of renewable energy sources that cover the country’s current demand.
2.2 Population
Despite it’s accelerated growth, at a rate of 3.2% a year, the population of the country hardly reaches 5,218,835 inhabitants, with a relatively low density of 12.83 inhabitants per square kilometre. The demographic profile reveals a high predominance of young people: 75% under the age of 35 and 61.5% under the age of 25. Another significant characteristic is the low level of urbanisation, around 43% considering furthermore that 49.5% of the total urban population is concentrated in the metropolitan area of Asunción (capital).
2.3 Labour Force
The active part of the population is 35.8%, the distribution of the work force amongst the economic sectors shows a clear rural dominance in the productive sector (agriculture 46.9%; industry 13.6% and construction 7.5%).
2.4 Economic Base
The economic base of the country is agriculture. The product structure of Paraguay and its relationship with international commerce is defined as a typical exporter country of raw farming materials, and a net importer of oil and manufacturing. The farming sector generates 26.9% of the GNP and 54% of the total production of goods. The specific contribution of farming activity to the general GNP rises to 27%. The contribution of industry and construction is 23%. The tertiary sector (commerce, finance, government etc.) is responsible for 50% of the GNP. The high concentration of agriculture and exportation with regards to cotton and soy, means that the economy is largely dependant on just these two products, therefore, vulnerable to changes in world market prices and the climatic conditions for the outcome of the crops.
On the night of 2 February 1989, the general Andrés Rodríguez together with other high ranking military officers carried out a coup d’état which ended 40 years of dictatorship and led to the resignation of the president General Alfredo Stroessner on the morning of 3 February. The objective was -according to a proclaimed leader of General Rodriguez- in defence of dignity and honour of the Armed Forces, the unification of the Colorado party government, the unrestricted respect of human rights and the defence of the Catholic church.
On the afternoon of the 3 February, General Rodriguez became the provisional president, promising democracy in the country, that would be “authentic and not just a façade”. He dissolved the congress and called elections for the president of the Republic and the legislative chamber for the coming 1 May. In these elections president Rodiriguez was a candidate for the Colorado party, the elected result was by a comfortable majority. The candidate for the Authentic Radical Liberal Party, Dr. Domingo Laíno came in second place. The congress remained about two thirds Colorado, the PLRA took the majority of the remaining seats.
From 3 February 1989 Paraguay experienced a period of freedom and protection of human rights. The legislative power approved in 1989 the agreement of San José and in 1992 the conventions on Civil and Political Rights and on Economic and Social Rights of the United Nations. The government also accepted the jurisdiction of the Inter-American court of Human Rights.
The congress, which became the most important field of negotiation of the political class and antenna for popular demand, sanctioned a new electoral law at the beginning of 1990, resulting from the consensus between the different parties which he represented. (we will summarise briefly the electoral law later on)
In 1991 they carried out the first open municipal elections of mayors (executive power) and Assemblies (legislative power) and for the first time in Paraguay’s history the electorate could choose its mayors. In Asunción independent candidate Dr. Carlos Fillizzola (current candidate to the Vice President of the republic) won; in more than 30 central constituencies candidates of the PLRA succeeded to impose themselves on the candidates of the official Colorado Party, (256 constituencies in total). It is necessary to point out that until the municipal elections in 1991 the municipal organisation was neither formed inside a framework of freedom nor did it posses a real autonomy. The mayors were appointed by laws of executive power. The municipal assemblies were chosen by electoral acts, but they lacked an autonomous power to control the actions of the municipal executive. The municipal managers were representatives of the Executive power and it’s policy had to respond when necessary to the central power.
On 30 December 1991, after formal declaration of the need for a total reform of the Constitution of 1967 was made, National Constituent Convention was installed, and at that occasion the President of the Republic ratified his decision to hand over the government in 1993. The convention was made up of 198 members of which the majority were from the Colorado Party and the minority from the PLRA, an independent movement resulting from an alliance between other similar ones and work associations of co-operatives and farmers and also with the parties of the Revolucionario Febrerista and the Demóracrata Cristiano, each one having its own convention. The Colorado majority which imposed on some subjects did not impede free discussion of the constitutional dispositions.
Immediately after six months of intense activity the new Constitution was adopted on 20 June 1992 by the members of the Convention and days later by the government, overcoming the crisis originated by the inclusion of a transitory disposition that impeded the re-election of President Rodriguez, and that this was considered offensive faced with his publications and reiterated promises to such effect. The new constitution clearly assures the separation of the powers and the respect of Human Rights. (we will briefly summarise the national constitution)
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A difference from the municipal elections of 1991, the Municipal Elections of 1996 were carried out in a totally different way, with a Tribunal of electoral justice (the highest in electoral themes), presided by a representative of the Authentic Radical Liberal Party, a representative of the National Republican Association of the Colorado Party, and an independent representative. Following the confirmation of the tribunal mentioned above, they started out with the “full renewal of the register of voters” (the former was the period of the dictatorship), where they were in charge of the cleanliness, the credibility and the purity. It is necessary to point out that representatives of all the political parties participated in the making of the new register. (ARLP, NRA,PEN).
For the 1996 municipal elections, there were 1.817.340 authorised voters in the country, of which 1.514.180 registered their vote, approximately 83%;
5.1 For the mayor
49.18 % Partido Colorado
36.12 % Partido Liberal Autentico
4.87 % Partido Encuentro Nacional
5.00 % PLRA and allies
1.48 % Others
5.2 For Local Councils
47.82 % Partido Colorado
29.37 % Partido Liberal Radical Autentico
11.29 % Partido Encuentro Nacional
5.00 % PLRA and allies
2.46 % Others
It is necessary to point out that the town of Asunción, the most important, is in the hands of the opposition, due to an agreement or alliance between the Liberal Radical Auténtico party and the Encuentro Nacional party. In the same way they carried out alliances in other towns in the country, above all in the constituencies where the Colorado party maintain a strong electorate. The results in this sense were good.
6.1 National Constitution
Article 188: The vote is a right, an obligation and a public function of the elector. It forms the basis of a democratic and representative government. It is founded in the universal, free, direct, equal, and secretive vote; in public scrutiny and control, and in the system of proportional representation.
6.2 Electoral Code
Article 188: It is the obligation of the members of the voting table to: a) show their credentials; b) check the authenticity of the credentials of the inspectors of the political parties or alliances and independent candidates; c) install voting tables, prepare and sign the opening minutes, in which it will state the number of the table, seat and electoral department, place, date and time of the functioning of the table; name and surname of the members present; the inspectors of political party, alliances and independent candidates; d) put in a visible place one or more placards, which carry the number of the voting table, for quick location, as well as cards with the names of all the candidates for posts, separated by political parties, alliances and independent candidates. e) Check if the reserved area meets the security conditions and would guarantee that the voter makes his vote. f) decide on the action to be taken if any complaints, questions or doubts arise, to maintain the order in the voting area, turn to the police if necessary to turn out any person in a state of intoxication, carrying fire arms, or any person trying to damage electoral material, coercing, bribing voters, lacking in respect for the voting organisers or any person carrying out any act that violates the freedom, purity or safety of the voter; g) check that the voters deposit their tickets in the corresponding box; h) mark the voters right index finger with indelible ink in the way stated in article 215 of this code; i) make clear in the corresponding minutes the complaints of the representatives or inspectors of the political parties; j) practise the preliminary inspection, raising and signing the final minutes that will be called “ minutes of inspection” and moreover documents used in the elections with the highest security; k) deliver a certified copy of the result obtained in the election to the voting table to the representatives of the political parties, alliances and independent candidates.
Article 195: Administrative staff carrying out election tasks, the representatives of the political parties, alliances and independent candidates, the members of the voting tables and the inspectors, are exempt and will not be able to be detained or bothered by any authority for not intervening in the commission of a crime worthy of criminal punishment.
Article 198: The police authorities will arrange to have available to every leader of the voting tables on the day of the elections, the sufficient number of policemen, with the aim to safeguard the order and guarantee the freedom and regularity of the vote.
