| National Republican Association – Colorado Party Asociación Nacional Republicana – Partido Colorado |
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|---|---|
| Leader | Lilian Samaniego |
| Founded | September 11, 1887 |
| Headquarters | Asunción |
| Ideology | Conservatism, Liberal conservatism, Paraguayan Nationalism |
| Political position | Centre-right/Right-wing |
| International affiliation | International Democrat Union |
| Regional affiliation | Union of Latin American Parties |
| Official colours | Red and White |
| Website | |
| http://www.partidocolorado.org.py/ | |
| Politics of Paraguay Political parties Elections |
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The National Republican Association – Colorado Party (Asociación Nacional Republicana – Partido Colorado, ANR-PC) is a political party in Paraguay, founded in 1887 by Bernardino Caballero. It is usually known as the Colorado Party. The presidential candidate of the party was defeated in elections held in April 2008 after 61 years in power.
It initially ruled the country from 1887 until 1904. In 1946, it rejoined the government, together with the Febreristas, during Higinio Morinigo's rule as President of Paraguay.
From 1947 until 1962, the Colorado Party ruled Paraguay as a one-party state; all other political parties were illegal. [1] The Constitution of 1962 gave a legal existence to national parties, the Communist Party being deemed "international" remained illegal and its adherents repressed by the Paraguayan state.
The Colorado Party also served as one of the "twin pillars" supporting the Stroessner regime (the other pillar being the military) that effectively ruled Paraguay as a repressive one-party state until 1989.[2]
At the legislative elections of 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.
Originally, the Colorado Party was conservative, representing those opposed to the Liberal Party.
On April 20, 2008, for the first time in 61 years, the Colorado Party of Paraguay lost the presidential elections to an opposition candidate from the center-left and a Roman Catholic bishop, Fernando Lugo, a first on both accounts (free election of an opposition candidate and of a bishop to the office of president in Paraguay). The Colorado Party was represented in these elections by a woman, Blanca Ovelar, also a first in Paraguayan politics. Fernando Lugo, who had resigned his Bishophood and Priesthood before the elections so that he could become eligible in Parguayan law, was formally released of his vows by the Vatican before his installation as President on the 15th of August 2008.
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