Nicanor Duarte

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Óscar Nicanor Duarte Frutos
Nicanor Duarte

Incumbent
Assumed office 
15 August 2003
Vice President Luis Castiglioni
Preceded by Luis Ángel González Macchi
Succeeded by Fernando Lugo (Elect)

Born 11 October 1956 (1956-10-11) (age 51)
Coronel Oviedo, Caaguazú, Paraguay
Political party ANR-PC
Spouse María Gloria Penayo Solaeche

Óscar Nicanor Duarte Frutos (born October 11, 1956) has served as the President of Paraguay since 2003.

Born in Coronel Oviedo, Caaguazú, Nicanor Duarte grew up during the Stroessner administration and was affiliated with Stroessner's Colorado Party at the age of 14 while attending high school in Coronel Oviedo. Dr. Duarte is married to María Gloria Penayo Solaeche and they have six children.

In 1974 Duarte received a bachelor's degree in Sciences and Letters. In 1984 he obtained a law degree from the Catholic University of Asuncion and in 1989 a doctorate from the National University of Asuncion. Later he joined the ruling Colorado party. The preliminary candidate for the Colorados in December 1992 was the former minister of Integration Juan Carlos Wasmosy Monti who in August 1993 became the president of Paraguay. Wasmosy appointed Duarte as his Minister of Education and Culture. In 1996, a political controversy led Duarte to leave the ruling party. In February 1997 he resigned as a minister and joined the Reconciliacion Colorada Movement (MRC).

In January 2001 he joined the ruling ANR-PC again and stood for its presidency for the period 2001-2004. He obtained the presidential nomination from his party on December 22, 2002 and contested the national election of April 27, 2003. He was proclaimed president with 37.1% of the votes, ahead of Julio César Franco with 24%, Pedro Fadul with 21.3% and Guillermo Sánchez with 13.5% of the votes. He took office on August 15 for the presidential term 2003-2008, becoming the eleventh consecutive ANR-PC president.

Nicanor Duarte has pursued policies which are somewhat more left-wing than has been the case for the Colorado Party over its 60-year rule of Paraguay. At least in speeches, he has opposed free trade and reached out to regional Latin American countries with left-leaning governments.

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Political offices
Preceded by
Luis Ángel González Macchi
President of Paraguay
2003 – 2008
Succeeded by
Fernando Lugo
Elect