View source for Colorado Party (Paraguay)

{{short description|Political party in Paraguay}}
{{For|the [[Uruguay]]an party of the same name|Colorado Party (Uruguay)}}
{{Expand Spanish|topic=gov|Partido Colorado (Paraguay)|date=August 2013}}
{{use dmy dates|date=October 2023}}
{{Infobox political party
| colorcode        = {{party color|Colorado Party (Paraguay)}}
| name             = National Republican Association – Colorado Party
| native_name      = Asociación Nacional Republicana – Partido Colorado
| logo             = Logo of the Colorado Party (Paraguay).svg
| leader           = [[Santiago Peña]]
| president        = [[Horacio Cartes]]
| abbreviation     = ANR
| founder          = [[Bernardino Caballero]]
| foundation       = {{Start date and age|1887|9|11|df=y}}
| headquarters     = 25 de Mayo N° 842 c/ Tacuary - [[Asunción]]
| ideology         = {{nowrap|[[Conservatism]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://eltrueno.com.py/2021/03/18/sobre-mapa-genetico-anr-de-carola-gonzalez-alsina-tercera-parte/|title=Sobre «Mapa Genético ANR», de Carola González Alsina. Tercera parte.|first=Jose|last=Ramirez|date=18 March 2021}}</ref><br>[[Republicanism]]<br>[[Nationalism|Paraguayan nationalism]]<ref>{{cite web|access-date=2023-08-05|date=2022-09-11|language=es|title="La ANR se sustenta en el nacionalismo y el patriotismo", expresa Darío Filártiga|url=https://www.lanacion.com.py/politica_edicion_impresa/2022/09/11/la-anr-se-sustenta-en-el-nacionalismo-y-el-patriotismo-expresa-dario-filartiga/|website=www.lanacion.com.py}}<!-- auto-translated by Module:CS1 translator --></ref><br>[[Economic liberalism]]<ref>{{Cite web
|author       = Jorge González-Gallarza
|title      = Paraguay Athwart consevatism
|url         = https://europeanconservative.com/articles/analysis/paraguay-athwart-liberalism/
|website    = europeanconservative.com
|date       = 2023-07-06
|language      = english
|access-date = 2023-08-18
}}</ref>}}<br>'''Factions'''<br>[[Cartismo (Paraguay)|Cartismo]]
| position         = {{nowrap|[[Centre-right politics|Centre-right]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://en.mercopress.com/2013/04/22/paraguay-s-colorados-back-in-office-opposition-admits-defeat-observers-praise-election-process|title=Paraguay's Colorados back in office; opposition admits defeat; observers praise election process|website=MercoPress}}</ref> to [[Right-wing politics|right-wing]]<ref>{{Cite news |last=Nicas |first=Jack |last2=Blair |first2=Laurence |date=2023-05-01 |title=Paraguay Voters Elect Conservative Economist as President |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2023/04/30/world/americas/paraguay-election-santiago-pena.html |access-date=2025-02-18 |work=[[The New York Times]] |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}}</ref>}}
| membership_year  = 2022
| membership       = 2,616,424<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.anr.org.py/anr-vuelve-a-habilitar-su-padron-con-2-616-424-afiliados-que-pueden-votar/ | title=ANR vuelve a habilitar su padrón con 2.616.424 afiliados que pueden votar | date=4 October 2022 }}</ref>
| international    = [[International Democracy Union]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.idu.org/members/|title = Members |date = February 2018}}</ref>
| regional         = [[Union of Latin American Parties]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://uplalatinoamerica.org/partidos-miembros/|title=Partidos Miembros|access-date=6 July 2020|archive-date=31 March 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220331204506/http://uplalatinoamerica.org/partidos-miembros/|url-status=dead}}</ref>
| colours          = {{color box|{{party color|Colorado Party (Paraguay)}}|border=silver}}{{color box|#FFFFFF|border=silver}} Red, white
| seats1_title     = [[Chamber of Deputies of Paraguay|Chamber of Deputies]]
| seats1           = {{Composition bar|48|80|hex={{party color|Colorado Party (Paraguay)}}}}
| seats2_title     = [[Senate of Paraguay|Senate]]
| seats2           = {{Composition bar|23|45|hex={{party color|Colorado Party (Paraguay)}}}}
| seats3_title     = [[Mercosur Parliament]]<br> (Paraguay seats)
| seats3           = {{composition bar|11|18|{{party color|Colorado Party (Paraguay)}}}}
| seats4_title     = Governors
| seats4           = {{Composition bar|15|17|{{party color|Colorado Party (Paraguay)}}}}
| wing1_title      = {{nowrap|Paramilitary wings}}
| wing1            = 
| flag             = Bandera Partido Colorado de Paraguay.svg
| website          = {{URL|http://www.anr.org.py/}}
| country          = Paraguay
}}

The '''National Republican Association''' ({{langx|es|Asociación Nacional Republicana}}, '''ANR'''), also known as the '''Colorado Party''' ({{langx|es|Partido Colorado|lit=Red Party|links=no}}), is a conservative [[political party]] in [[Paraguay]], founded on 11 September 1887 by [[Bernardino Caballero]]. Since [[1947 Paraguayan Civil War|1947]], the ''colorados'', as they are known, has been [[Dominant-party system|dominant]] in Paraguayan politics (ruling as the only legal party between 1947 and 1962) and has controlled the [[President of Paraguay|presidency]] since 1948 – notwithstanding a brief interruption between [[2008 Paraguayan general election|2008]] and [[2013 Paraguayan general election|2013]] – as well as having a majority in [[Congress of Paraguay|both chambers of Congress]] and [[Departments of Paraguay|department]] governorships.

The Colorado Party has historically been and continues to be the dominant political party in Paraguay. With 2.6 million members as of 2022 (although there are allegations of numerous false affiliations made by the party),<ref>According to multiple sources:

* {{Cite web |date=2021-03-30 |title=Me afiliaron sin mi consentimiento |trans-title=I was affiliated without my consent |url=https://elsurti.com/oligarquia/reportaje/2021/03/30/me-afiliaron-sin-mi-consentimiento/ |website=El Surtidor |language=es}}
* {{Cite news |date=2023-03-03 |title=Tribunal hace lugar a un hábeas data contra ANR por afiliación ilegal |trans-title=Court grants habeas data petition against ANR for illegal affiliation |url=https://www.ultimahora.com/tribunal-hace-lugar-un-habeas-data-contra-anr-afiliacion-ilegal-n3051257 |newspaper=Última Hora |language=es}}
* {{Cite news |date=2021-07-30 |title=ANR reactivó su web: sepa qué hacer si sigue figurando como afiliado |trans-title=ANR reactivated its website: find out what to do if you are still listed as an affiliate |url=https://www.abc.com.py/nacionales/2021/07/30/reestablecen-web-de-anr-sin-afiliados-fantasma-sepa-que-hacer-si-sigue-figurando/ |newspaper=ABC Color |language=es}}
* {{Cite news |date=2021-07-31 |title=Urgen una ley de protección de datos tras afiliaciones falsas a la ANR |trans-title=Data protection law urgently needed after false affiliations with the ANR |url=https://www.abc.com.py/nacionales/2021/07/31/urgen-una-ley-de-proteccion-de-datos-tras-afiliaciones-falsas-a-la-anr/ |newspaper=ABC Color |language=es}}
* {{Cite web |date=2012-11-20 |title=Investigarán a partidos políticos por producción de documentos falsos |trans-title=Political parties to be investigated for producing false documents |url=https://www.paraguay.com/nacionales/investigaran-a-partidos-politicos-por-produccion-de-documentos-falsos-88785 |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20231222234843/https://www.paraguay.com/nacionales/investigaran-a-partidos-politicos-por-produccion-de-documentos-falsos-88785 |archive-date=2023-12-22 |website=Paraguay.com |language=es}}</ref> it is the largest political party in the country, usually ruling without the necessity of electoral alliances. Paraguay was for several decades under dictatorial rule by [[Alfredo Stroessner]], a member of the Colorado Party, until he was ousted from power in 1989, which set off a democratization process.<ref name=":0">{{Cite journal |last=Lambert |first=Peter |date=2000 |title=A decade of electoral democracy: continuity, change and crisis in Paraguay |url=https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0261305000000024 |journal=Bulletin of Latin American Research |volume=19 |issue=3 |pages=379–396 |doi=10.1016/S0261-3050(00)00002-4 |issn=0261-3050|url-access=subscription }}</ref><ref name=":1">{{Cite journal |last=Nickson |first=Andrew |date=2025 |title=The Legacies of the Stroessner Dictatorship in Paraguay |url=https://online.ucpress.edu/currenthistory/article-abstract/124/859/68/205389/The-Legacies-of-the-Stroessner-Dictatorship-in |journal=Current History |language=en |volume=124 |issue=859 |pages=68–73 |doi=10.1525/curh.2025.124.859.68 |issn=0011-3530|url-access=subscription }}</ref> Since then, there has been an expansion of civil and political liberties, as well as elections at presidential, congressional, and municipal levels.<ref name=":0" /> However, the democratization process has been limited due to the firm control of the Colorado Party on the Paraguayan state.<ref name=":1" /> The Colorado Party retains power through clientelistic practices,<ref name=":1" /> and corruption is widespread in Paraguay.<ref name=":1" />

==History==
===1887–1989===
The party, though founded only in 1887 as an answer to the foundation of the [[Liberal Party (Paraguay)|Liberal Party]] in that same year, already informally existed from the late 1870s onward, as a political group centered around [[Bernardino Caballero]], [[Cándido Bareiro]] and [[José Segundo Decoud]].

It formally ruled the country from its foundation until 1904, when it was overthrown in the [[History of Paraguay#Revolution of 1904|Revolution of 1904]]. It became the dominant political force in the country when it rejoined the government in 1947, following the conclusion of the [[Paraguayan Civil War (1947)|1947 civil war]], during [[Higinio Moríñigo]]'s rule as president. During this time, the party operated [[Colorado Party militias|multiple paramilitary wings]]. From 1947 until 1962, the Colorado Party ruled [[Paraguay]] as a [[one-party state]]; all other political parties were illegal.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://lcweb2.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/r?frd/cstdy:@field(DOCID+py0098) |title=Paraguay: Opposition Parties |publisher=[[Library of Congress Country Studies]] |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090109061000/http://lcweb2.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/r?frd%2Fcstdy%3A%40field%28DOCID+py0098%29 |archive-date=9 January 2009 }}</ref> In 1962, all national parties were nominally legalized; the Communist Party being deemed "international" remained illegal and its adherents repressed by the Paraguayan state. In practice, however, Paraguay remained a one-party military dictatorship, with the Colorado Party serving as one of the "twin pillars" of [[Alfredo Stroessner]]'s rule, who had assumed the presidency following a coup in 1954 and lasted until 1989, one of the [[Records of heads of state#Republic|longest in history by a non-royal leader]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://lcweb2.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/r?frd/cstdy:@field(DOCID+py0095) |title=Paraguay: The Twin Pillars of the Stroessner Regime |publisher=[[Library of Congress Country Studies]] |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090109080606/http://lcweb2.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/r?frd%2Fcstdy%3A%40field%28DOCID+py0095%29 |archive-date=9 January 2009}}</ref> During Stroessner's rule, all members of the armed forces and government employees were required to be members of the Colorado Party. Dissident groups within the party were purged, and two ([[Movimiento Popular Colorado]] and [[Epifanio Méndez Fleitas|Asociación Nacional Republicana en el Exilio y la Resistencia]]) acted as opposition groups in exile until the 1980s. In 1987, there was a rift in the party between a hardliner faction supportive of [[El Stronato|Stroessner's rule]] and a traditionalist faction.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Smith|first=James F.|date=1989-02-04|title=Military Coup Topples Paraguay's Stroessner : Incoming President Promises Democracy, Respect for Rights|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1989-02-04-mn-1491-story.html|url-status=live|access-date=2022-01-08|website=[[Los Angeles Times]]|language=en-US|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220109003105/https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1989-02-04-mn-1491-story.html |archive-date=2022-01-09 }}</ref> This rift was primarily over the issue of Stroessner's succession and was a large contributor to the [[1989 Paraguayan coup d'état|1989 coup d'état]] led by General [[Andrés Rodríguez (politician)|Andrés Rodríguez]], himself a traditionalist, which ousted Stroessner from power.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.cia.gov/library/readingroom/docs/CIA-RDP04T00447R000100150001-7.pdf|title=Paraguay: Potential Successors to Stroessner|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170123061511/https://www.cia.gov/library/readingroom/docs/CIA-RDP04T00447R000100150001-7.pdf |archive-date=23 January 2017 }}</ref>

=== Since 1989===
In 2002, the [[National Union of Ethical Citizens]] split from the party.

During the [[2003 Paraguayan general election]], at the legislative elections the party won 35.3% of the popular vote (37 out of 80 seats) in the [[Chamber of Deputies of Paraguay]] and 32.9% (16 out of 45 seats) in the Senate. Its candidate at the presidential elections on the same date, [[Nicanor Duarte]], was elected with 37.1% of the popular vote.

On 20 April 2008, for the first time in 61 years, the Colorado Party lost the presidential elections to an opposition candidate from the [[centre-left]], [[Fernando Lugo]], a [[Bishop (Catholic Church)|Roman Catholic bishop]], 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 [[Blanca Ovelar]], the first woman to run for the presidency. Fernando Lugo, who had renounced the cloth before the elections so that he could become eligible under Paraguayan law, was formally released from his vows by the Vatican before his inauguration as president on 15 August 2008.

According to Antonio Soljancic, a social scientist at the Autonomous University of [[Asunción]], "in order to get a job, you have to show you are a party member. The problem Paraguay has is that, although Stroessner disappeared from the political map, he left a legacy that no one has tried to bury".<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/horacio-cartes-millionaire-criminal-business-titan-homophobe-the-next-president-of-paraguay-8580851.html |title=Horacio Cartes: Millionaire. Criminal. Business titan. Homophobe. The next president of Paraguay? |newspaper=The Independent |date=19 April 2013}}</ref>

== Electoral history ==

=== Presidential elections ===
Note: From 1947 until 1962, the Colorado Party was the [[One-party state|sole legal party]]. Free and fair elections did not take place until 1993.
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
!Election 
!Party candidate
!Votes
!'''%'''
!Result
|-
|[[1953 Paraguayan general election|1953]]
|[[Federico Chávez]]
|224,788
|100%
|'''Elected (sole legal party)''' {{Y}}
|-
|[[1954 Paraguayan presidential election|1954]]
| rowspan="8" |[[Alfredo Stroessner]]
|236,191
|100%
|'''Elected (sole legal party)''' {{Y}}
|-
|[[1958 Paraguayan general election|1958]]
|295,414
|100%
|'''Elected (sole legal party)''' {{Y}}
|-
|[[1963 Paraguayan general election|1963]]
|569,551
|92.3%
|'''Elected''' {{Y}}
|-
|[[1968 Paraguayan general election|1968]]
|465,535
|71.6%
|'''Elected''' {{Y}}
|-
|[[1973 Paraguayan general election|1973]]
|681,306
|84.7%
|'''Elected''' {{Y}}
|-
|[[1978 Paraguayan general election|1978]]
|905,461
|90.8%
|'''Elected''' {{Y}}
|-
|[[1983 Paraguayan general election|1983]]
|944,637
|91.0%
|'''Elected''' {{Y}}
|-
|[[1988 Paraguayan general election|1988]]
|1,187,738
|89.6%
|'''Elected''' {{Y}}
|-
|[[1989 Paraguayan general election|1989]]
|[[Andrés Rodríguez (politician)|Andrés Rodríguez]]
|882,957
|76.59%
|'''Elected''' {{Y}}
|-
|[[1993 Paraguayan general election|1993]]
|[[Juan Carlos Wasmosy]]
|449,505
|41.78%
|'''Elected''' {{Y}}
|-
|[[1998 Paraguayan general election|1998]]
|[[Raúl Cubas Grau]]
|887,196
|55.35%
|'''Elected''' {{Y}}
|-
|[[2003 Paraguayan general election|2003]]
|[[Nicanor Duarte]]
|574,232
|38.30%
|'''Elected''' {{Y}}
|-
|[[2008 Paraguayan general election|2008]]
|[[Blanca Ovelar]]
|573,995
|31.75%
|'''Lost''' {{N}}
|-
|[[2013 Paraguayan general election|2013]]
|[[Horacio Cartes]]
|1,104,169
|48.48%
|'''Elected''' {{Y}}
|-
|[[2018 Paraguayan general election|2018]]
|[[Mario Abdo Benítez]]
|1,206,067
|48.96%
|'''Elected''' {{Y}}
|-
|[[2023 Paraguayan general election|2023]]
|[[Santiago Peña]]
|1,292,079
|43.94%
|'''Elected''' {{Y}}
|}

=== Vice presidential election ===
{| class=wikitable style=text-align:center
!Election
!Party candidate
!'''Votes'''
!'''%'''
!Result
|-
|[[2000 Paraguayan vice presidential election|2000]]
|Félix Argaña
|587,498
|48.8%
|'''Lost''' {{N}}
|}

=== Chamber of Deputies elections ===
Note: From 1947 until 1962, the Colorado Party was the sole legal party. Free and fair elections did not take place until 1993.
{| class=wikitable style=text-align:center
!Election 
!'''Votes'''
!'''%'''
!'''Seats'''
!+/–
|-
|[[1960 Paraguayan parliamentary election|1960]]
|
|
|{{Composition bar|60|60|hex={{party color|Colorado Party (Paraguay)}}}}
|{{increase}} 60
|-
|[[1963 Paraguayan general election|1963]]
|569,551
|92.3%
|{{Composition bar|40|60|hex={{party color|Colorado Party (Paraguay)}}}}
|{{decrease}} 20
|-
|[[1968 Paraguayan general election|1968]]
|465,535
|71.6%
|{{Composition bar|40|60|hex={{party color|Colorado Party (Paraguay)}}}}
|{{steady}}
|-
|[[1973 Paraguayan general election|1973]]
|681,306
|84.7%
|{{Composition bar|40|60|hex={{party color|Colorado Party (Paraguay)}}}}
|{{steady}}
|-
|[[1978 Paraguayan general election|1978]]
|905,461
|90.7%
|{{Composition bar|40|60|hex={{party color|Colorado Party (Paraguay)}}}}
|{{steady}}
|-
|[[1983 Paraguayan general election|1983]]
|944,637
|91.0%
|{{Composition bar|40|60|hex={{party color|Colorado Party (Paraguay)}}}}
|{{steady}}
|-
|[[1988 Paraguayan general election|1988]]
|1,187,738
|89.6%
|{{Composition bar|40|60|hex={{party color|Colorado Party (Paraguay)}}}}
|{{steady}}
|-
|[[1989 Paraguayan general election|1989]]
|845,820
|74.5%
|{{Composition bar|40|72|hex={{party color|Colorado Party (Paraguay)}}}}
|{{steady}}
|-
|[[1993 Paraguayan general election|1993]]
|488,342
|43.4%
|{{Composition bar|38|80|hex={{party color|Colorado Party (Paraguay)}}}}
|{{decrease}} 2
|-
|[[1998 Paraguayan general election|1998]]
|857,473
|53.8%
|{{Composition bar|45|80|hex={{party color|Colorado Party (Paraguay)}}}}
|{{increase}} 7
|-
|[[2003 Paraguayan general election|2003]]
|520,761
|35.3%
|{{Composition bar|37|80|hex={{party color|Colorado Party (Paraguay)}}}}
|{{decrease}} 8
|-
|[[2008 Paraguayan general election|2008]]
|582,932
|32.96%
|{{Composition bar|30|80|hex={{party color|Colorado Party (Paraguay)}}}}
|{{decrease}} 7
|-
|[[2013 Paraguayan general election|2013]]
|919,625
|40.99%
|{{Composition bar|44|80|hex={{party color|Colorado Party (Paraguay)}}}}
|{{increase}} 14
|-
|[[2018 Paraguayan general election|2018]]
|927,183
|39.10%
|{{Composition bar|42|80|hex={{party color|Colorado Party (Paraguay)}}}}
|{{decrease}} 2
|-
|[[2023 Paraguayan general election|2023]]
|1,345,730
|47.43%
|{{Composition bar|48|80|hex={{party color|Colorado Party (Paraguay)}}}}
|{{increase}} 6
|}

=== Senate elections ===
Note: free and fair elections did not take place until 1993.
{| class=wikitable style=text-align:center
!Election 
!Votes
!'''%'''
!'''Seats'''
!+/–
|-
|[[1968 Paraguayan general election|1968]]
|
|
|{{Composition bar|20|30|hex={{party color|Colorado Party (Paraguay)}}}}
|{{increase}} 20
|-
|[[1973 Paraguayan general election|1973]]
|681,306
|84.7%
|{{Composition bar|20|30|hex={{party color|Colorado Party (Paraguay)}}}}
|{{steady}}
|-
|[[1978 Paraguayan general election|1978]]
|
|
|{{Composition bar|20|30|hex={{party color|Colorado Party (Paraguay)}}}}
|{{steady}}
|-
|[[1983 Paraguayan general election|1983]]
|
|
|{{Composition bar|20|30|hex={{party color|Colorado Party (Paraguay)}}}}
|{{steady}}
|-
|[[1988 Paraguayan general election|1988]]
|
|
|{{Composition bar|20|30|hex={{party color|Colorado Party (Paraguay)}}}}
|{{steady}}
|-
|[[1993 Paraguayan general election|1993]]
|498,586
|44.0%
|{{Composition bar|20|45|hex={{party color|Colorado Party (Paraguay)}}}}
|{{steady}}
|-
|[[1998 Paraguayan general election|1998]]
|813,287
|51.7%
|{{Composition bar|24|45|hex={{party color|Colorado Party (Paraguay)}}}}
|{{increase}} 4
|-
|[[2003 Paraguayan general election|2003]]
|508,506
|34.4%
|{{Composition bar|16|45|hex={{party color|Colorado Party (Paraguay)}}}}
|{{decrease}} 8
|-
|[[2008 Paraguayan general election|2008]]
|509,907
|29.07%
|{{Composition bar|15|45|hex={{party color|Colorado Party (Paraguay)}}}}
|{{decrease}} 1
|-
|[[2013 Paraguayan general election|2013]]
|865,206
|38.50%
|{{Composition bar|19|45|hex={{party color|Colorado Party (Paraguay)}}}}
|{{increase}} 4
|-
|[[2018 Paraguayan general election|2018]]
|766,841
|32.52%
|{{Composition bar|17|45|hex={{party color|Colorado Party (Paraguay)}}}}
|{{decrease}} 2
|-
|[[2023 Paraguayan general election|2023]]
|1,317,463
|45.72%
|{{Composition bar|23|45|hex={{party color|Colorado Party (Paraguay)}}}}
|{{increase}} 6
|}

==See also==
* [[Colorado Party militias]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
*[http://www.anr.org.py/ ANR – Partido Colorado]
{{Paraguayan political parties}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:1887 establishments in Paraguay]]
[[Category:Anti-communist parties]]
[[Category:Conservative parties in South America]]
[[Category:International Democracy Union member parties]]
[[Category:National conservative parties]]
[[Category:Neoliberal parties]]
[[Category:Paraguayan nationalism]]
[[Category:Parties of one-party systems]]
[[Category:Political history of Paraguay]]
[[Category:Political parties established in 1887]]
[[Category:Political parties in Paraguay]]
[[Category:Right-wing parties in South America]]