Villa Aurelia is a neighbourhood ( barrio ) of Asunción , the capital and largest city of Paraguay .
127-553: The neighborhood Villa Aurelia is located in the city of Asuncion, capital of Paraguay, in the Central Department of the Eastern Region, within the bay of Rio Paraguay, cosmopolitan city where people of different regions of the country and foreigners who live there, already ingrained in her. Presents prevailing winds from the north and south, with tropical climate. The average temperature is 28 °C in summer and 19 °C in
254-570: A common market , which other Latin American countries could join. Paraguay and Uruguay joined the process and the four countries became signatories to the Treaty of Asunción (1991), which established the Southern Common Market, a trade alliance aimed at boosting the regional economy, moving goods, people among themselves, workforce and capital. Initially a free trade zone was established, in which
381-550: A utopian society based on the Genevan theorist Jean-Jacques Rousseau 's Social Contract . Rodríguez de Francia was nicknamed El Supremo . Rodríguez de Francia established new laws that greatly reduced the powers of the Catholic church (Catholicism was then an established state religion) and the cabinet, forbade colonial citizens from marrying one another and allowed them to marry only blacks, mulattoes or natives, in order to break
508-541: A close relationship with the Brazilian far-right president (in power 2019–2022), Jair Bolsonaro . In February 2019, President Mario Abdo Benitez was at Bolsonaro's side when Bolsonaro praised Paraguayan military dictator Alfredo Stroessner, calling him "a man of vision". In 2021, Paraguay became the first country in South America to produce electric energy in its 100% renewable energy supply. In May 2023, Santiago Peña of
635-540: A dispute that continued to the end of the year. On 21 November 2016, Paraguayan Foreign Minister Eladio Loizaga announced that Venezuela would be suspended in December 2016 after the nation was given a three-month period to reform its laws to abide to Mercosur requirements, with Mercosur noting that "rules governing trade, politics, democracy and human rights" needed to be overhauled in Venezuela. On 1 December 2016, Venezuela
762-404: A general regime of origin, a system for resolving disputes and safeguard clauses. To ensure order and compliance with deadlines, two institutional bodies were created: The Treaty of Asunción also decided that the accession of a new member, in order to be effective, must be approved by legislative decree in all signatory countries. Otherwise, the membership process will be invalid. The founding of
889-490: A livelihood. Each family had its house or hut in its own ground. They planted, in a few days, enough tobacco, maize and mandioca for their own consumption [...]. Having at every hut a grove of oranges [...] and also a few cows, they were almost throughout the year under little necessity [...]. The higher classes, of course, lived more in the European way... On 12 October 1864, despite Paraguayan ultimatums, Brazil (allied with
1016-502: A maximum of 64 acting parliamentary members, 16 per member state, and an equal number of alternates, appointed by the Congress to which they pertain, and with a term of office of at least two years. The meetings shall be conducted by a directors' board consisting of four presidents (one for each member state). The committee will ordinarily meet twice a year, and extraordinarily whenever summoned by any of its five presidents. Meetings are held in
1143-619: A member. The Trade Commission shall exert every effort to apply common trade policy instruments such as: trade agreements with other countries or international entities; administrative/commercial product lists; final adaptation system for Mercosur customs unification; origin system; free-trade zone system, special customs areas and export processing zones; system to discourage unfair trade practices; elimination and harmonization of tariff restrictions; nonmember country safeguard systems; customs coordination and harmonization; consumer protection systems; and export incentive harmonization. Furthermore,
1270-635: A millennium before the arrival of the Spanish . Western Paraguay, the Gran Chaco , was inhabited by nomads of whom the Guaycuru peoples were the most prominent. The Paraguay River was roughly the dividing line between the agricultural Guarani people to the east and the nomadic and semi-nomadic people to the west in the Gran Chaco. The Guarcuru nomads were known for their warrior traditions and were not fully pacified until
1397-544: A mission to Paraguay to gather information, concluded that the impeachment process was not a coup d'état, as it had been carried out in accordance with the Constitution of Paraguay . From August 2013 to 15 August 2018, the President of Paraguay was Horacio Cartes . Since 15 August 2018, the President of Paraguay has been Mario Abdo Benítez . They are both from the conservative Colorado Party . President Mario Abdo enjoyed
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#17328526742741524-562: A nearly balanced merchandise trade with Mercosur in 2010, while the United States reaped a surplus of over US$ 14 billion; Mercosur, in turn, earned significant surpluses (over US$ 4 billion each in 2010) in its trade with Chile and Venezuela. The latter became a full member in 2012. Internal trade in the Mercosur block has grown from $ 4 billion in 1990 to $ 41 billion in 2022. The Asunción Treaty and Ouro Preto Protocol established
1651-646: A period of great political instability. Between 1904 and 1954 Paraguay had thirty-one presidents , most of whom were removed from office by force. Conflicts between the factions of the ruling Liberal party led to the Paraguayan Civil War of 1922 . The unresolved border conflict with Bolivia over the Chaco region finally erupted in the early 1930s in the Chaco War . After both sides suffered great losses, Paraguay defeated Bolivia and established its sovereignty over most of
1778-540: A professional politician in civil government, and a member of the Authentic Radical Liberal Party, Paraguay's largest opposition party. Lugo was an adherent of liberation theology . Lugo achieved a historic victory in Paraguay's presidential election, defeating the ruling party candidate, and ending 61 years of conservative rule. Lugo won with nearly 41% of the vote, compared to almost 31% for Blanca Ovelar of
1905-458: A string of plots, which resulted in his military coup d'état of 4 May 1954 . In the aftermath of World War II , Paraguay became a hideout for Nazi fugitives accused of war crimes. A series of unstable governments ensued until the establishment in 1954 of the regime of dictator Alfredo Stroessner , who remained in office for more than three decades until 1989. Paraguay was modernized to some extent under Stroessner's regime, although his rule
2032-591: A succession of military dictators, culminating in the 35-year regime of Alfredo Stroessner , which lasted until his overthrow in 1989 by an internal military coup. This marked the beginning of Paraguay's current democratic era. Paraguay is a developing country , ranking 105th in the Human Development Index . It is a founding member of Mercosur , the United Nations , the Organization of American States ,
2159-438: A timetable for the creation of a free trade zone among the signatory states and the full members of Mercosur, with a gradual reduction in tariffs. In this way, these countries were successful in negotiations for the formation of a free trade zone with Mercosur, since an economic complementation agreement, with full compliance with its schedule, is the item required for the rise of a new associate. However, on 8 July 2004, Venezuela
2286-556: Is a full member but has been suspended since 1 December 2016. Associate countries are, Chile , Colombia , Ecuador , Guyana , Peru , and Suriname . Bolivia became a full member on 8 July 2024. Mercosur's origins are linked to the discussions for the constitution of a regional economic market for Latin America, which go back to the treaty that established the Latin American Free Trade Association in 1960, which
2413-504: Is also a smaller population of Asians , notably in Brazil. The white population forms a majority in Argentina and Uruguay and represents about 45 percent in Brazil. Mestizos form the majority population in Paraguay, making it distinct from its immediate neighbors. Almost all Mercosur nations have significant indigenous American populations, especially in Paraguay (Guaraní is a national language in
2540-432: Is as follows: Some 97% of households have electricity. 65% of homes have running water. 90% of homes have the garbage collection service. The 40% of households used a telephone network. Villa Aurelia does not have any hospital. There are some private medical (dental, gynecological, pediatric). In education has two public schools, private schools, kindergartens and institutions of executive secretarial and typing. The population
2667-475: Is composed of six sovereign member states: Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay and Venezuela (suspended since December 2016); six associated states: Suriname, Guyana, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and Chile; plus two observer states: Mexico and New Zealand. Following the impeachment of President Fernando Lugo by the Paraguayan Senate, Paraguay was suspended from Mercosur. Shortly afterwards, Venezuela
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#17328526742742794-610: Is coordinated by the Ministries of Foreign Affairs of the member states. Its basic duties are to cause compliance with the Asuncion Treaty and to take resolutions required for implementation of the decisions made by the council. Furthermore, it can initiate practical measures for trade opening, coordination of macroeconomic policies, and negotiation of agreements with nonmember states and international agencies, participating when need be in resolution of controversies under Mercosur. It has
2921-450: Is diverse, comprising people of European, Africans and Indigenous descent. People of Afro-Latin American descent tend to be concentrated in Brazil and Uruguay, with a smaller, but historic Afro-Argentine community in Argentina and an emerging population in Chile, the latter largely of Haitian origin. There is a high percentage of mestizos that vary greatly in composition by place. There
3048-575: Is mostly middle class, a smaller percentage of high and low class. The residents are employees and middle management workers (carpenters and mechanics). 25°19′S 57°34′W / 25.317°S 57.567°W / -25.317; -57.567 This Paraguay location article is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Paraguay in South America (grey) Paraguay ( / ˈ p ær ə ɡ w aɪ / ; Spanish pronunciation: [paɾaˈɣwaj] ), officially
3175-472: Is nominally to promote free trade within the zone and the fluid movement of goods, people, and currency. Since its foundation, Mercosur's functions have been updated and amended many times; it currently confines itself to a customs union , in which there is free intra-zone trade and a common trade policy between member countries. In 2023, the Mercosur had generated a nominal annual gross domestic product (GDP) (PPP) of around 5.7 trillion US dollars, placing
3302-646: Is reserved exclusively for official representatives of the member states. The delegations of representatives from the private sector in the preparatory stage of the Work Subgroup activities will have a maximum of three representatives for each member state directly involved in any of the stages of the production, distribution or consumption process for the products that fall within the scope of the subgroup's activities. The Committee will have both an advisory and decision-making nature; with powers to submit proposals as well. It will be competent, inter alia, to: follow up on
3429-777: The Andes (whose highest mountain is Aconcagua at 6,962 m or 22,841 ft in Argentina); the largest rainforest, the Amazon Rainforest in Brazil; and much more if we take the associated members into account, such as the highest capital city, La Paz, Bolivia ; the highest commercially navigable lake in the world, Lake Titicaca in Peru; the driest non-polar place on earth, the Atacama Desert ; and, excluding research stations in Antarctica ,
3556-755: The Bandeirantes , in addition to seeking their conversion to Christianity. Catholicism in Paraguay was influenced by the indigenous peoples: The syncretic religion has absorbed native elements. The reducciones flourished in eastern Paraguay for about 150 years, until the expulsion of the Jesuits by the Spanish Crown in 1767. The ruins of two 18th century Jesuit Missions of La Santísima Trinidad de Paraná and Jesús de Tavarangue have been designated as World Heritage Sites by UNESCO . In western Paraguay, Spanish settlement and Christianity were strongly resisted by
3683-618: The Central Bank . The members of the Common Market Group appointed by a given member state will constitute the National Section of the Common Market Group for that particular nation. Meetings: The Common Market Group will meet ordinarily at least once every quarter in the member states, in rotating alphabetical order. Special meetings may be freely called at any time, at any previously scheduled place. The meetings will be coordinated by
3810-573: The Colorado Party in the 1980s, and the prevailing conditions – Stroessner's advanced age, the character of the regime, the economic downturn, and international isolation – were catalysts for anti-regime demonstrations and statements by the opposition prior to the 1988 general elections. PLRA leader Domingo Laíno served as the focal point of the opposition in the second half of the 1980s. The government's effort to isolate Laíno by exiling him in 1982 had backfired. On his sixth attempt to re-enter
3937-618: The Mercosur Parliament was agreed upon at the December 2004 presidential summit. Up to 2010 it was planned to have 18 representatives from each country, regardless of population. Venezuela's history in Mercosur began on 16 December 2003, during a Mercosur summit held in Montevideo, when the Mercosur Economic Complementation Agreement with Colombia, Ecuador and Venezuela was signed. This agreement established
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4064-892: The Non-Aligned Movement and the Lima Group . Additionally, the city of Luque , in metropolitan Asuncion, is the seat of the South American Football Confederation . Although one of only two landlocked countries in South America ( Bolivia is the other), Paraguay has ports on the Paraguay and Paraná rivers that give exit to the Atlantic Ocean, through the Paraná-Paraguay Waterway. The majority of Paraguay's 6 million people are mestizo , and Guarani culture remains widely influential; more than 90% of
4191-561: The Republic of Paraguay ( Spanish : República del Paraguay ; Guarani : Paraguái Tavakuairetã ), is a landlocked country in South America . It is bordered by Argentina to the south and southwest, Brazil to the east and northeast, and Bolivia to the northwest. It has a population of around 6.1 million, nearly 2.3 million of whom live in the capital and largest city of Asunción , and its surrounding metro area. Spanish conquistadores arrived in 1524, and in 1537 established
4318-494: The integration process and keep the respective Congresses informed; Take the necessary steps for the future instatement of a Mercosur Parliament ; Organize subcommittees to examine matters relating to the integration process; Submit its recommendations to the Common Market Council and Group as to how the integration process should be conducted and Southern Common Market formed; Make the adjustments necessary to harmonize
4445-543: The social crisis . Brazilian Foreign Minister Aloysio Nunes said that Venezuela will remain suspended until the country "re-establishes democracy." In January 2019, the opposition-majority National Assembly declared incumbent Nicolás Maduro 's 2018 reelection invalid, entering a presidential crisis . During a July 2019 summit in Santa Fe, Argentina , the bloc called for "free, fair and transparent presidential elections, as soon as possible" in Venezuela. The presidents of
4572-547: The 200th anniversary of independence from the Spanish Empire as a sovereign state. Lugo's supporters gathered outside Congress to protest the decision as a "politically motivated coup d'état". Lugo's removal from office on 22 June 2012 is considered by UNASUR and other neighboring countries, especially those currently governed by leftist leaders, as a coup d'état. However, the Organization of American States, which sent
4699-695: The Allies. It was marked as the bloodiest battle in South America during the war. The Paraguayans put up a ferocious resistance but ultimately lost in 1870 in the Battle of Cerro Corá , where Marshal Solano López refused to surrender and died in action. The real causes of this war, which remains the bloodiest international conflict in the history of The Americas , are still highly debatable. Paraguay lost 25–33% of its territory to Argentina and Brazil, paid an enormous war debt, and sold large amounts of national properties to stabilize its internal budget. The worst consequence of
4826-884: The Argentine Government under General Bartolomé Mitre and the rebellious Uruguayan colorados led by Gen. Venancio Flores ) invaded the Republic of Uruguay in order to overthrow the government of that time (which was under the rule of the Blanco Party , an ally of López), thus starting the Paraguayan War . The Paraguayans, led by the Marshal of the Republic Francisco Solano López , retaliated by attacking Mato Grosso on 15 December 1864 and later declared war against Argentina on 23 March 1865. The Blanco Government
4953-480: The Chaco, which is part of the Gran Chaco . The country lies between latitudes 19° and 28°S , and longitudes 54° and 63°W . Mercosur The Southern Common Market , commonly known by Spanish abbreviation Mercosur , and Portuguese Mercosul , is a South American trade bloc established by the Treaty of Asunción in 1991 and Protocol of Ouro Preto in 1994. Its full members are Argentina , Bolivia , Brazil , Paraguay and Uruguay . Venezuela
5080-540: The Colorado Party. Reports suggested that the businessman Horacio Cartes became the new political figure amid disputes. Despite the US Drug Enforcement Administration 's strong accusations against Cartes related to drug trafficking , he continued to amass followers in the political arena. On 14 January 2011, the Colorado Party convention nominated Horacio Cartes as the presidential candidate for
5207-561: The Colorado party. Outgoing President Nicanor Duarte Frutos hailed the moment as the first time in the history of the nation that a government had transferred power to opposition forces in a constitutional and peaceful fashion. Lugo was sworn in on 15 August 2008. The Lugo administration set its two major priorities as the reduction of corruption and economic inequality. Political instability following Lugo's election and disputes within his cabinet encouraged some renewal of popular support for
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5334-469: The Council in rotating alphabetical order, for six-month periods. Meetings: Council members shall meet whenever necessary, but at least once a year. The presidents of the member nations shall partake of the annual Common Market Council meeting whenever possible. Decision Making: Council decisions shall be made by consensus, with representation of all member states. The Group is the executive body of Mercosur, and
5461-488: The European Union (20%), China (14%), and the United States (11%) was of comparable importance. Exports from the bloc are highly diversified, and include a variety of agricultural, industrial, and energy goods. Merchandise trade with the rest of the world in 2010 resulted in a surplus for Mercosur of nearly US$ 7 billion; trade in services , however, was in deficit by over US$ 28 billion. The EU and China maintained
5588-508: The Head of the Delegation of the host member state. Decision Making: Common Market Group decisions shall be made by consensus, with the representation of all member states. The official Mercosur languages will be Portuguese and Spanish, and the official version of all work papers will be prepared in the language of the country hosting the meeting. The Administrative Office will keep documents and issue
5715-475: The Iguaçu Declaration, the basis for economic integration of the so-called Southern Cone . Both countries had just come out of a dictatorial period and were facing the need to redirect their economies to the outside and globalized world. Both countries had contracted a large external debt during the period of the military governments and did not enjoy credit abroad. There was a great need for investment in
5842-487: The López family was characterized by pervasive and rigid centralism in production and distribution. There was no distinction between the public and the private spheres, and the López family ruled the country as it would a large estate. The government exerted control on all exports. The export of yerba mate and valuable wood products maintained the balance of trade between Paraguay and the outside world. The Paraguayan government
5969-513: The Mercosur executive body, and should be resolved using the directives set forth in the Dispute Resolution System adopted under Southern Common Market. The rules on litigation jurisdiction over contractual matters will apply to disputes arising from civil or commercial international contracts between private-law legal entities or individuals provided that: They are domiciled or headquartered in different member states: At least one of
6096-484: The Mercosur official bulletin in both Portuguese and Spanish, and will also be charged with communicating the activities of the Common Market Group so as to allow for the maximum disclosure of decisions and the relevant documentation. The Socioeconomic Advisory Forum is consultative by nature, and represents the various socioeconomic sectors of the member nations. Directly subordinated to the Common Market Group,
6223-490: The Paraguayan Army prior to and during the war, López's government was comparatively a good one for Paraguay: Probably in no other country in the world has life and property been so secure as all over Paraguay during his (Antonio Lopez's) reign. Crime was almost unknown, and when committed, immediately detected and punished. The mass of the people was, perhaps, the happiest in existence. They had hardly to do any work to gain
6350-541: The President-Dictator in 1862, and generally continued the political policies of his father. Both wanted to give an international image of Paraguay as "democratic and republican", but in fact, the ruling family had almost total control of all public life in the country, including church and colleges. Militarily, Carlos Antonio López modernized and expanded industry and the Paraguayan Army and greatly strengthened
6477-564: The United States, the Organization of American States, and other countries in the region, the Paraguayan people rejected an April 1996 attempt by then Army Chief General Lino Oviedo to oust President Wasmosy. Oviedo was nominated as the Colorado candidate for president in the 1998 election. However, when the Supreme Court upheld in April his conviction on charges related to the 1996 coup attempt, he
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#17328526742746604-525: The Uruguayan and Argentine congresses approved the entry of the new member. The Brazilian congress did so only in December 2009. However, the Paraguayan congress did not approve it and, therefore, made it impossible for the Caribbean nation to fully join. Subsequently, on 29 June 2012, in response to Fernando Lugo 's summary dismissal of the presidency, the Mercosur presidents decreed the Paraguayan suspension until
6731-524: The Venezuelan parliament, displacing Juan Guaidó from his oppositional presidency, and thus making a rejoining of Venezuela to Mercosur more critical. In late April 2023, newly elected President of Brazil Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva pressed new agreements between Mercosur and the EU to stimulate economic development in South America . Previously, EU officials doubted such an agreement, and did not ratify it due to
6858-562: The Work Subgroups draw up the minutes of the decisions to submit for the consideration of the council, and conduct studies on specific Mercosur concerns. The work subgroups are the following: commercial matters; customs matters; technical standards; tax and monetary policies relating to trade; land transport; sea transport; industrial and technology policies; agricultural policy; energy policy; coordination of macroeconomic policies; and labor, employment and social security matters. The meetings of
6985-561: The Work subgroups will be held quarterly, alternating in every member state, in alphabetical order, or at the Common Market Group Administrative Office. Activities will be carried out by the Work Subgroups in two stages: preparatory and conclusive. In the preparatory stage, the members of the Work Subgroups may request the participation of representatives from the private sector of each member state. The decision-making stage
7112-468: The admission of Brazil and Mercosur to the competing Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU). Meanwhile, Venezuela that has been shut out of its Mercosur membership in 2016 due to accusations of undemocratic behavior, is attempting to approach the agreement again with a decree to reform the common nomenclature and to revamp its quality standards for export. In July 2023, a crisis broke out between Argentina and Paraguay , Bolivia , Uruguay and Brazil over
7239-584: The area were Spanish explorers in 1516. The Spanish explorer Juan de Salazar de Espinosa founded the settlement of Asunción on 15 August 1537. The city eventually became the center of a Spanish colonial province of Paraguay . An attempt to create an autonomous Christian Indian nation was undertaken by Jesuit missions and settlements in this part of South America in the eighteenth century. They developed Jesuit reductions to bring Guarani populations together at Spanish missions and protect them from virtual slavery by Spanish settlers and Portuguese slave raiders,
7366-512: The authority to organize, coordinate and supervise Work Subgroups and to call special meetings to deal with issues of interest. Composition: The Common Market Group shall be made up of four permanent members and four alternates from each member state, representing the following public agencies : (i) the Ministry of Foreign Affairs ; (ii) the Ministry of Economy , or the equivalent (from industry, foreign affairs and/or economic coordination); and (iii)
7493-407: The basis for the institutional Mercosur structure, creating the Common Market Council and the Common Market Group, both of which function at the outset of the transition phase. As provided for in this Treaty, before establishing the common market the member nations must call a special meeting to determine the definitive institutional structure for the public agencies managing Mercosur, as well as define
7620-474: The bloc as the 5th largest economy in the world . The bloc places high on the human development index . Before the independence of the South American countries, most of their commercial and political ties were mediated by the Spanish Empire, which prohibited significant trade with Brazil. In the 19th century, the process of political emancipation in South America accentuated the various competing interests of
7747-435: The bloc's economic importance and opens up new business and investment opportunities. However, for others, the decision was seen as hasty, imposed by the governments of Brazil and Argentina and motivated purely by political interests. On 7 December 2012, Bolivian President Evo Morales signed a protocol aimed at accession to full membership in the bloc. Such a proposal requires review and legislative approval. On 7 July 2015,
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#17328526742747874-425: The city of Asunción , the first capital of the Governorate of the Río de la Plata . During the 17th century, Paraguay was the center of Jesuit missions , where the native Guaraní people were converted to Christianity and introduced to European culture. After the expulsion of the Jesuits from Spanish territories in 1767, Paraguay increasingly became a peripheral colony. Following independence from Spain in
8001-408: The common market should be completed by 31 December 1994 with the amendment of the Treaty of Ouro Preto . In 2001, celebrating the 10th anniversary of the bloc's creation, the Mercosur flag was hoisted for the first time at Mercosur's headquarters in Montevideo . The main implications of this free trade zone are: It was defined that during the transition period, the signatory countries would adopt
8128-462: The countries of the region. They often found themselves at war, such as the Cisplatine War , the independence of the Republic of Uruguay, the Uruguayan Great War , the Ragamuffin War , the dispute between unitaries and federalists in Argentina and the Paraguayan War . In 1941, in the middle of the Second World War , Brazil and Argentina for the first time tried to create a Customs Union between their economies. However, this did not happen due to
8255-412: The countries' diplomatic differences in relation to Axis policies, after the attack on Pearl Harbor . With the end of the war, the need for interaction between nations became imminent and, consequently, economic blocs formed. In Latin America, however, there was no union that obtained satisfactory results. In December 1985, Brazilian President José Sarney and Argentine President Raúl Alfonsín signed
8382-432: The countries, but no money. This common situation made them both realize the mutual need. Shortly after the signing of the Iguaçu Declaration in February 1986, Argentina declared its intention of a "preferential association" with Brazil. In a private home in Don Torcuato , there was a meeting to discuss the matter. The discussion, lasting two days, took place in an atmosphere of exchanging ideas and stating positions regarding
8509-446: The country along with Spanish, and almost all Paraguayans have Guaraní genetic ancestry), Argentina (especially in the Northwest and Southwest of The country), Brazil (in the Northern and Northwest Amazonian states of the nation, where Native American tribes have vast reservation lands). [REDACTED] Buenos Aires [REDACTED] Bogotá According to an article in the New York Times , Portuguese, Spanish and Guarani are
8636-435: The country in 1986, Laíno returned with three television crews from the U.S., a former United States ambassador to Paraguay, and a group of Uruguayan and Argentine congressmen. Despite the international contingent, the police violently barred Laíno's return. The Stroessner regime relented in April 1987, and permitted Laíno to return to Asunción. Laíno took the lead in organizing demonstrations and reducing infighting among
8763-400: The destruction of rainforest habitat in the Amazon region . At the same time, talks between Lula and Chinese President Xi Jinping had competed with the expected free trade agreement to the European trade zone . As talks progressed, other factors came into play, such as the recent visit by Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov to the Brazilian nation the same month; the latter is working on
8890-460: The disputed Chaco region. After the war, military officers used popular dissatisfaction with the Liberal politicians to seize the power for themselves. On 17 February 1936, the February Revolution brought colonel Rafael Franco to power. Between 1940 and 1948, the country was ruled by general Higinio Morínigo . Dissatisfaction with his rule resulted in the Paraguayan civil war of 1947 . In its aftermath Alfredo Stroessner began involvement in
9017-424: The early 19th century, Paraguay was ruled by a series of authoritarian governments. This period ended with the disastrous Paraguayan War (1864–1870), during which the country lost half its prewar population and around 25–33% of its territory. In the 20th century, Paraguay faced another major international conflict—the Chaco War (1932–1935) against Bolivia—in which Paraguay prevailed. The country came under
9144-428: The executive body regarding regulation of the areas under its authority; additionally, it can propose new guidelines or modify those in existence in Mercosur trade and customs matters. In this respect, the trade commission can propose a change in the import duty on specific items under common external tariffs , including cases referring to development of new Mercosur production activities. To better achieve its objectives,
9271-539: The four member countries signed a statement expressing concern "for the grave crisis that Venezuela is going through, which is seriously affecting the humanitarian situation and human rights." In 2020, however, Maduro's United Socialist Party of Venezuela and allied parties claimed to have captured 67 percent of seats in the National Assembly, but that election was also disputed by EU and U.S. officials. Nevertheless, since then Maduro has exercised majority control of
9398-461: The free navigability of the rivers in the Río de la Plata Basin . The territory of Mercosur consists of the combined territories of six of the 12 countries of South America and their population. Including the overseas territories of member states, Mercosur experiences most types of climate from Antarctic to tropical , rendering meteorological averages for Mercosur as a whole meaningless. The majority of
9525-537: The full members, Portuguese is the most spoken language, with over 214 million native speakers as of 2021, while Spanish accounts for 83 million speakers approximately. Even though language policy is the responsibility of member states, Mercosur institutions promote multilingualism among its citizens, and while Brazil has enforced Spanish as a foreign language to be taught at school, Argentina and Venezuela have done so with Portuguese. Intra-Mercosur merchandise trade (excluding Venezuela) grew from US$ 10 billion at
9652-658: The heads of Mercosur having decided to accept Bolivia's request to become a full member country, Bolivian president Evo Morales signed the Brasilia protocol. However, full membership required all members states to ratify the procotol, which was completed in December 2023. That left only Bolivia's internal ratification process to be completed before it became a full member which came to fruition in July 2024. Bolivia will be required to adjust its law in accordance with Mercosur rules within four years from full membership. In August 2016,
9779-408: The inception of the trade bloc in 1991, to US$ 88 billion in 2010; Brazil and Argentina each accounted for 43% of this total. The trade balance within the bloc has historically been tilted toward Brazil, which recorded an intra-Mercosur balance of over US$ 5 billion in 2010. Trade within Mercosur amounted to only 16% of the four countries' total merchandise trade in 2010, however; trade with
9906-399: The late 19th century. These indigenous tribes belonged to five distinct language families, which were the bases of their major divisions. Differing language speaking groups were generally competitive over resources and territories. They were further divided into tribes by speaking languages in branches of these families. Today 17 separate ethnolinguistic groups remain. The first Europeans in
10033-610: The laws of the different member states and submit them to the respective Congresses; Establish relationships with private entities in each of the member states, as well as international agencies and bureaus so as to obtain information and specialized assistance with matters of interest; Establish relationships targeting cooperation with Congresses of the nonmember nations and entities involved in regional integration schemes; Subscribe to cooperation and technical assistance accords with public and/or private entities whether domestic, supranational or international. The committee will be composed of
10160-481: The long-ruling Colorado Party, won the presidential election to succeed Mario Abdo as the next President of Paraguay . On 15 August 2023, Santiago Peña was sworn in as Paraguay's new president. Paraguay is divided by the Río Paraguay into two well differentiated geographic regions. The eastern region (Región Oriental); and the western region, officially called Western Paraguay (Región Occidental) and also known as
10287-459: The murder of Vice President and long-time Oviedo rival Luis María Argaña on 23 March 1999, led the Chamber of Deputies to impeach Cubas the next day. On 26 March, eight student anti-government demonstrators were murdered, widely believed to have been carried out by Oviedo supporters. This increased opposition to Cubas, who resigned on 28 March. Senate President Luis González Macchi , a Cubas opponent,
10414-726: The name derives from the Payaguá people , for the Paraguay River was called the Payaguá-y , or "river of the Payaguás" by the Guaraní and hence would have come the name for the country; or that, also from the Guaraní, para would mean sea, gua , originates, and y , river, thus Paraguay would mean "river which gives birth to the sea". The indigenous Guaraní had been living in eastern Paraguay for at least
10541-430: The next presidential election, in April 2013. A month later, the bloc presidents acknowledged their adhesion of Venezuela and several trade agreements have been signed. It was suggested that the decision could be reversed with the Paraguayan return by exercising its veto power, which was not the case. The decision was the subject of controversy. For some economists, Venezuela's acceptance as a full member of Mercosur expands
10668-430: The nomadic Guaycuru and other nomads from the 16th century onward. Most of these peoples were absorbed into the mestizo population in the 18th and 19th centuries. Paraguay overthrew the local Spanish administration on 14 May 1811. Paraguay's first dictator was José Gaspar Rodríguez de Francia who ruled Paraguay from 1814 until his death in 1840, with very little outside contact or influence. He intended to create
10795-607: The official languages of the Joint Parliamentary Committee. The Trade Commission will assist the Mercosur executive body, always striving to apply the instruments of common trade policy agreed to by the member states for operation of the customs unification. The commission should also follow up on the development of issues and matters related to common trade policies, the intra-Mercosur trade and trade with other countries. The commission will have five actual members and four alternates, with each member nation's indicating
10922-548: The official languages of the Mercosur organisation itself, which only recognizes Portuguese and Spanish. That Guarani is an official language there has been described as a common fallacy. Mercosur does not provide all, or even most, services in Guaraní. The official website is in Spanish, Portuguese and English, and almost all official summits are only held in Spanish and Portuguese. Important documents, such as legislation, are translated into Portuguese and Spanish. Currently, among
11049-403: The opposition party. The opposition was unable to reach agreement on a common strategy regarding the elections, with some parties advocating abstention, and others calling for blank voting. The parties held numerous 'lightning demonstrations' ( mítines relámpagos ), especially in rural areas. Such demonstrations were gathered and quickly disbanded before the arrival of the police . In response to
11176-411: The opposition, ended with the removal of Lugo from office and Vice President Federico Franco assuming the duties of president. Lugo's rivals blamed him for the deaths of 17 people – eight police officers and nine farmers – in armed clashes after police were ambushed by armed peasants when enforcing an eviction order against rural trespassers. On 14 May 2011, Paraguay celebrated its bicentenary on
11303-425: The party. However, the party's constitution did not allow it. On 21 June 2012, impeachment proceedings against President Lugo began in the country's lower house, which was controlled by his opponents. Lugo was given less than twenty-four hours to prepare for the proceedings and only two hours in which to mount a defense. Impeachment was quickly approved and the resulting trial in Paraguay's Senate, also controlled by
11430-597: The pillaging of Asunción in 1869, the Imperial Brazilian Army packed up and transported the Paraguayan National Archives to Rio de Janeiro . Brazil's records from the war have remained classified. This has made Paraguayan history in the colonial and early national periods difficult to research and study. In 1904 the Liberal revolution against the rule of Colorados broke out. The Liberal rule started
11557-474: The population lives in areas with a subtropical climate (Uruguay, Southern Paraguay, Northeastern and Center Argentina and Southern and Southeastern Brazil), or a tropical climate (Venezuela and Northeastern Brazil). The Mercosur member states are home to the world's highest uninterrupted waterfall , Angel Falls in Venezuela; the largest river by volume, the Amazon River in Brazil; the longest mountain range,
11684-532: The population speak various dialects of the Guarani language alongside Spanish. Paraguay's GDP per capita PPP is the seventh-highest in South America. In a 2017 Positive Experience Index based on global polling data, Paraguay ranked as the "world's happiest place". The origin of the name Paraguay is uncertain. One version postulates the name takes from Guaraní paraguá "feather crown" and y "water" thus paraguaí "feather crown of waters". Other versions affirm that
11811-435: The power of colonial-era elites and to create a mixed-race or mestizo society. He cut off relations between Paraguay and the rest of South America. Because of Francia's restrictions of freedom, Fulgencio Yegros and several other Independence-era leaders in 1820 planned a coup d'état against Francia, who discovered the plot and had its leaders either executed or imprisoned for life. After Francia's death in 1840, Paraguay
11938-459: The preparatory stage, members of the Work Subgroups may request the participation of representatives from the private sector of each member state. The decision-making stage is reserved exclusively for official representatives of the member states. The delegations of representatives from the private sector in the preparatory stage of the Work Subgroup activities will have a maximum of three representatives for each member state directly involved in any of
12065-546: The presidents of Brazil, Argentina, and Paraguay, while present in Rio de Janeiro for the Olympic Games , met to discuss suspending Venezuela from Mercosur. The three countries were in doubt about whether Venezuela was complying with the union's requirements for full membership, citing human rights violations among other issues. In fact, Venezuela was rejected from assuming the presidency of Mercosur by those three countries, prompting
12192-591: The program proposed the Gaucho as a currency for regional trade. For many, the idea of integration in South America seemed more like an abstraction, owing to various unsuccessful experiences in the past. However, this was perceived as different. On 6 July 1990, the President of Brazil, Fernando Collor , and the President of Argentina, Carlos Menem , signed the Buenos Aires Act aimed at total customs integration between
12319-466: The regional integration process, leading to the full perception by the signatories that a more comprehensive treaty was needed. Mercosur was finally established in 1991 by the Treaty of Asunción , based on the Buenos Aires Act, the Treaty of Asunción defined rules and conditions for the creation of a free trade zone among its four signatories. Likewise, it was decided that all measures for the construction of
12446-458: The results in part to the virtual Colorado monopoly on the mass media. They noted that 53% of those polled indicated that there was an "uneasiness" in Paraguayan society. 74% believed that the political situation needed changes, including 45% who wanted a substantial or total change. Finally, 31% stated that they planned to abstain from voting in the February elections. On 3 February 1989, Stroessner
12573-561: The shipyards of Asunción. Fortifications were built, especially along the Apa River and in Gran Chaco . Following the death of Carlos Antonio López, these projects continued under his son Francisco Solano. In terms of socio-economic development, the country was dubbed "the most advanced Republic in South America", notably by the British judge and politician Sir Robert Phillimore . According to George Thompson, Lieutenant Colonel of Engineers in
12700-403: The signatory countries would not tax or restrict each other's imports. As of 1 January 1995, this area became a customs union , in which all signatories could charge the same quotas on imports from other countries (common external tariff). The following year, Bolivia and Chile acquired membership status. Other Latin American nations have expressed interest in joining the group. Mercosur's purpose
12827-516: The specific functions of each agency and the decision-making process. The council is the highest-level agency of Mercosur with the authority to conduct its policy, and responsibility for compliance with the objects and time frames set forth in the Asuncion Treaty. The council is composed of the Ministers of Foreign Affairs and the Economy (or the equivalent) of all five countries. Member states preside over
12954-506: The stages of the production, distribution or consumption process for the products that fall within the scope of the subgroup's activities., Mercosur has a population of 284 million among its full member states. The region has several areas of sparse demographics such as tropical forests and deserts, but it is also highly urbanized with the presence of two alpha cities – São Paulo and Buenos Aires – and several beta cities such as Montevideo , Rio de Janeiro , Brasilia , etc. The population
13081-807: The status of the area's economy. After a few weeks, Brazil invited Argentina to a similar meeting, in Itaipava, also in a private residence. This signaled acceptance of the Argentine initiative and the formation of an agreement, with the objective of promoting the economic development of both countries and integrating them into the world. Out of this meeting came the Argentina-Brazil Integration and Economics Cooperation Program or PICE ( Portuguese : Programa de Integração e Cooperação Econômica Argentina-Brasil , Spanish : Programa de Integración y Cooperación Económica Argentina-Brasil ). Protocol Number 20 of
13208-463: The strategic defenses of Paraguay by developing the Fortress of Humaitá . The government hired more than 200 foreign technicians, who installed telegraph lines and railroads to aid the expanding steel, textile, paper and ink, naval construction, weapons and gunpowder industries. The Ybycuí foundry, completed in 1850, manufactured cannons, mortars and bullets of all calibers. River warships were built in
13335-420: The territory of each member state on a successive and alternating basis. Decision Making: Meetings of the Joint Parliamentary Committee will only be valid when attended by parliamentary delegations from all member states. Decisions by the Joint Parliamentary Committee will be made by consensus vote of the majority of the members accredited by the respective Congresses of each member state. Portuguese and Spanish are
13462-454: The three official languages of the Mercosur, as they are the official languages of the five full members – Portuguese is the official language of Brazil, Spanish is the official language of all other full member countries, and Guarani is the co-official language of Paraguay and Argentina's province of Corrientes . Guarani is the most commonly spoken language in Paraguay. However, the official languages of its constituent states are not necessarily
13589-497: The time, 2.06 million people lived in rural areas, more than half of the 4.1 million total population, and most were landless. The June 1992 constitution established a democratic system of government and dramatically improved protection of fundamental human rights. In May 1993, Colorado Party candidate Juan Carlos Wasmosy was elected as Paraguay's first civilian president in almost forty years, in what international observers deemed free and fair elections. With support from
13716-431: The trade commission can create technical committees targeting direction and supervision of the work it engages in. It can also adopt internal operating regulations. Proposals and decisions of the trade commission will be taken by a consensus of the representatives indicated by each member nation. Any disputes ensuing from the application, interpretation or compliance with the acts issued by the trade commission are referred to
13843-502: The trade commission should speak out regarding the issues raised by the member states regarding application and compliance with common offshore tariffs and other common trade policy instruments. The commission shall meet at least once a month, as well as whenever asked to by the Mercosur executive agency or by a member state. The commission can take decisions entailing administration and application of trade policies adopted under Southern Common Market, and whenever necessary submit proposals to
13970-475: The two countries. It was decided that all measures for the construction of the customs union should be completed by 31 December 1994. To ensure compliance with the deadlines, the Binational Working Group was created, the body whose responsibility was to define methods for creating the common market between the two nations. In September, the governments of Paraguay and Uruguay showed a strong interest in
14097-495: The upsurge in opposition activities, Stroessner condemned the Accord for advocating "sabotage of the general elections and disrespect of the law". He used national police and civilian vigilantes of the Colorado Party to break up demonstrations. A number of opposition leaders were imprisoned or otherwise harassed. Hermes Rafael Saguier [ es ] , another key leader of the PLRA ,
14224-503: The war was the catastrophic loss of population. At least 50% of Paraguayans died during the conflict, numbers to which it took many decades for the country to return. Of the disaster suffered by the Paraguayans at the outcome of the war, William D. Rubinstein wrote: "The normal estimate is that of a Paraguayan population of somewhere between 450,000 and 900,000, only 220,000 survived the war, of whom only 28,000 were adult males." During
14351-440: The winter. The average annual rainfall is 1700 mm. The total population of the district Villa Aurelia is approximately 10,120 inhabitants, representing a density of 4,650 inhabitants / km ². The male population reaches 49% of the total population, and 51% female. There are a total of 2,205 housing approximately an average of 4.8 people in each household. Predominantly middle-class buildings. The percentage coverage of services
14478-409: The work subgroups draw up the minutes of the decisions to submit for the consideration of the council, and study specific Mercosur concerns. The work subgroups are: Work subgroups are held quarterly, alternating in every member state, in alphabetical order, or at the Common Market Group Administrative Office. Activities are carried out by the Work Subgroups in two stages: preparatory and conclusive. In
14605-494: The world's southernmost permanently inhabited community, Puerto Toro, Chile . One Mercosur full member, Argentina, has a claim to Antarctica called Argentine Antarctica (part of the province of Tierra del Fuego ) which partially overlaps with the claim of Mercosur-associated state Chile, namely Chilean Antarctica . Brazil does not formally claim any part of Antarctic territory, but has a "zone of interest" called Brazilian Antarctica which overlaps Argentina's claim. Mercosur
14732-409: Was admitted as a full member on 31 July 2012. Venezuela had four years to fully adapt to the trade bloc regulations and failed to do so, with the nation being suspended from Mercosur on 1 December 2016. In July 2024, Panama president José Raúl Mulino said his country was formally applying to join Mercosur as an associate member. [REDACTED] Directly subordinated to the Common Market Group,
14859-405: Was elevated to associate member status, without even completing the schedule agreed with the Common Market Council. The following year, the bloc recognized it as an associated nation in the process of accession, which in practice meant that the state had a voice, but not a vote. The Caribbean country's Accession Protocol was signed in 2006 by all presidents of countries in the bloc. Subsequently,
14986-453: Was extremely protectionist, never accepted loans from abroad and levied high tariffs against imported foreign products. This protectionism made the society self-sufficient, and it also avoided the debt suffered by Argentina and Brazil. Slavery existed in Paraguay, although not in great numbers, until 1844, when it was legally abolished in the new constitution. Francisco Solano López , the son of Carlos Antonio López, replaced his father as
15113-489: Was imprisoned for four months in 1987 on charges of sedition. In early February 1988, police arrested 200 people attending a National Coordinating Committee meeting in Coronel Oviedo . Laíno and several other opposition figures were arrested before dawn on the day of the election, 14 February, and held for twelve hours. The government declared Stroessner's re-election with 89% of the vote. The opposition attributed
15240-578: Was marked by extensive human rights abuses. Stroessner and the Colorado party ruled the country from 1954 to 1989. The dictator oversaw an era of economic expansion, but also had a poor human rights and environmental record (see "Political History"). Paraguay actively participated in Operation Condor . Torture and death for political opponents was routine. After his overthrow, the Colorado continued to dominate national politics until 2008. The splits in
15367-527: Was not allowed to run and was detained in jail. His former running mate, Raúl Cubas , became the Colorado Party's candidate, and was elected in May in elections deemed by international observers to be free and fair. One of Cubas' first acts after taking office in August was to commute Oviedo's sentence and release him. In December 1998, Paraguay's Supreme Court declared these actions unconstitutional. In this tense atmosphere,
15494-460: Was overthrown in a military coup headed by General Andrés Rodríguez . As president, Rodríguez instituted political, legal, and economic reforms and initiated a rapprochement with the international community. Reflecting the deep hunger of the rural poor for land, hundreds immediately occupied thousands of acres of unused territories belonging to Stroessner and his associates; by mid-1990, 19,000 families occupied 340,000 acres (138,000 ha). At
15621-431: Was peacefully sworn in as president the same day. In 2003, Nicanor Duarte was elected as president. For the 2008 general elections, the Colorado Party was favored in polls. Their candidate was Minister of Education Blanca Ovelar , the first woman to be nominated as a candidate for a major party in Paraguayan history. After sixty years of Colorado rule, voters chose Fernando Lugo , a former Roman Catholic Bishop and not
15748-435: Was ruled by various military officers under a new junta , until Carlos Antonio López (allegedly Rodríguez de Francia's nephew) came to power in 1841. López modernized Paraguay and opened it to foreign commerce. He signed a non-aggression pact with Argentina and officially declared independence of Paraguay in 1842. After López's death in 1862, power was transferred to his eldest son, Francisco Solano López . The regime of
15875-491: Was succeeded by the Latin American Integration Association in the 1980s. At the time, Argentina and Brazil made progress in the matter, signing the Iguaçu Declaration (1985), which established a bilateral commission, which was followed by a series of trade agreements the following year. The Integration, Cooperation and Development Treaty, signed between both countries in 1988, set the goal of establishing
16002-449: Was suspended from Mercosur. On 5 August 2017, the foreign ministers of Argentina, Paraguay, Uruguay and Brazil affirmed that Venezuela's membership in Mercosur is suspended indefinitely in response to the "rupture of the democratic order" in that country following the 30 July 2017 Constituent Assembly elections . The bloc by-laws have no provision for expulsion. However, trade and migration policies stay without changes to avoid aggravating
16129-684: Was toppled and replaced by a Colorado government under General Venancio Flores on 22 February 1865. Afterward, the Argentine Republic , the Empire of Brazil and the Republic of Uruguay signed the Secret Treaty of the Triple Alliance against the Paraguayan Government on 1 May 1865. On 24 May 1866, the Battle of Tuyutí led to the loss of 6,000 men when a Paraguayan attack was repelled by
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