Colorado Party (Paraguay)

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The National Republican Association/Colorado Party (Asociación Nacional Republicana/Partido Colorado) is a conservative political party in Paraguay, founded in 1887 by Bernardino Caballero.

It first entered into Paraguayan government in 9 June 1946, together with Febreristas, during the Higinio Morinigo rule as President of Paraguay. Therefore, the Colorado Party can be considered nowadays the longest running political party in the world, as it has remained in power for over 60 years (as of December 2006).

From 1947 until 1962, the Colorado Party ruled Paraguay as a one-party state; all other political parties were illegal.[1]

It also served as one of the "twin pillars" supporting the Stroessner regime (the other pillar being the military). [2]

At the last legislative elections, 27 April 2003, the party won 35.3 % of the popular vote and 37 out of 80 seats in the Chamber of Deputies of Paraguay and 32.9 %, leading to 16 out of 45 seats in the Senate. Its candidate at the presidential elections of the same day, Nicanor Duarte Frutos, won 37.1 % of the popular vote and was elected President of Paraguay.