Paraguay - Government
Based on the etymolgy of Paraguay, it was derives from the river of the same name; the river's name may come from the Guarani words para (water or river) and guay (born). The Government system in this country is the presidential republic type and the different Administrative divisions includes: 17 departments (departamentos, singular - departamento) and 1 capital city*; Alto Paraguay, Alto Parana, Amambay, Asuncion*, Boquerón, Caaguazú, Caazapá, Canindeyú, Central, Concepcion, Cordillera, Guairá, Itapúa, Misiones, Ñeembucú, Paraguarí, Presidente Hayes, San Pedro
National symbols
Lion.
The flag
The National flag of Paraguay has .
Info
The National Anthem
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More about the government of Paraguay
| Date of Independence | 14-15 May 1811 (from Spain) |
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| National holiday | Independence Day, 14-15 May (1811) (observed 15 May); 14 May is celebrated as Flag Day |
| Legal system | civil law system with influences from Argentine, Spanish, Roman, and French civil law models; Supreme Court of Justice reviews legislative acts |
| International law organization participation | accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction; accepts ICCt jurisdiction |
| Constitution | |
| History | Several previous; latest approved and promulgated 20 June 1992 |
| Amendment process | Proposed at the initiative of at least one quarter of either chamber of the National Congress, by the president of the republic, or by petition of at least 30,000 voters; passage requires a two-thirds majority vote by both chambers and approval in a referendum |
| Citizenship | |
| Citizenship by birth | yes |
| Citizenship by descent only | at least one parent must be a native-born citizen of Paraguay |
| Dual citizenship recognized | yes |
| Residency requirement for naturalization | 3 years |
| Executive Branch | |
| Chief of state | President Santiago PEÑA Palacios (since 15 August 2023) |
| Head of government | President Santiago PEÑA Palacios (since 15 August 2023) |
| Cabinet | Council of Ministers appointed by the president |
| Election/appointment process | president and vice president directly elected on the same ballot by simple-majority popular vote for a single 5-year term |
| Most recent election date | 30 April 2023 |
| Election results | 2023: Santiago PEÑA Palacios elected president; percent of vote - Santiago PEÑA Palacios (ANR) 43.9%, Efraín ALEGRE (PLRA) 28.3%, Paraguayo "Payo" CUBAS Colomés (PCN) 23.6%, other 4.2% 2018: Mario ABDO BENÍTEZ elected president; percent of vote - Mario ABDO BENÍTEZ (ANR) 49%, Efraín ALEGRE (PLRA) 45.1%, other 5.9% |
| Expected date of next election | April 2028 |
| Legislative branch | |
| Legislature name | Congress (Congreso) |
| Legislative structure | Bicameral |
| Judicial branch | |
| Highest court(s) | Supreme Court of Justice or Corte Suprema de Justicia (consists of 9 justices divided 3 each into the Constitutional Court, Civil and Commercial Chamber, and Criminal Division) |
| Judge selection and term of office | Justices proposed by the Council of Magistrates or Consejo de la Magistratura, a 6-member independent body, and appointed by the Chamber of Senators with presidential concurrence; judges can serve until mandatory retirement at age 75 |
| Subordinate courts | Appellate courts; first instance courts; minor courts, including justices of the peace |
| Diplomatic representation in the US | |
| Chief of mission | Ambassador Gustavo Alfredo LEITE Gusinky (since 5 September 2025) |
| Chancery | 2209 Massachusetts Avenue, NW, Washington DC 20008 |
| Telephone | [1] (202) 483-6960 |
| FAX | [1] (202) 234-4508 |
| Email address and website | [email protected] Embajada de la República del Paraguay ante los Estados Unidos de América :: The Embassy (mre.gov.py) |
| Consulate(s) general | Los Angeles, Miami, New York |
| Diplomatic representation from the US | |
| Chief of mission | Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d’Affaires Robert ALTER (since July 2025) |
| Embassy | 1776 Mariscal Lopez Avenue, Asuncion |
| Mailing address | 3020 Asuncion Place, Washington DC 20521-3020 |
| Telephone | [595] (21) 248-3000 |
| FAX | [595] (21) 213-728 |
| Email address and website | [email protected] https://py.usembassy.gov/ |
| National heritage | |
| Total World Heritage Sites | 1 (cultural) |
| Selected World Heritage Site locales | Jesuit Missions of La Santísima Trinidad de Paraná and Jesús de Tavarangue |
Key Political parties and their leaders in Paraguay
Info
International organization participation
All Important Facts about Paraguay
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