Paraguay

How It Started

In 1993, President Carter, representing the Center’s Council of Presidents and Prime Ministers of the Americas, traveled to Paraguay to monitor the May 9 presidential election – the first after a 35-year dictatorship known for corruption, torture, and political repression.

Our Work and Methods

• For several days leading up to the election, the Center’s delegation met with a broad spectrum of government officials, political leaders, candidates, military officials, and civic leaders.
• On election day, the Center’s team observed balloting in 333 mesas at 44 polling sites, covering roughly 22% of the electorate.

Impacts

• The Carter Center’s observation mission helped ensure Paraguay’s transition from dictatorship to democracy.

This project ended in 1993.

How It Started

In the late 1990s, The Carter Center and its Council of Presidents and Prime Ministers of the Americas launched a multiyear initiative to work with governments and civil society to develop concrete strategies to fight corruption and ensure transparency of government transactions with business.

Our Work and Methods

• Former Paraguay President Juan Carlos Wasmosy was among leaders from across the hemisphere who came to The Carter Center May 4-5, 1999, to evaluate specific anti-corruption efforts and seek commitments from other governments to implement similar strategies in their own countries.

Impacts

• Transparency in government improves investor confidence, spurs economic growth, provides better public services to the population, and increases public confidence in democratic institutions.

How It Began

After Paraguay’s vice president was assassinated outside his home in March 1999, President Carter issued a public statement denouncing the violence and urging the country to stay true to democratic ideals.

Our Work and Methods

• “This violent act was a blow to human rights and the rule of law in Paraguay, and the democratic community of nation-states should roundly condemn it,” President Carter said. “Violence is never an acceptable method for resolving political conflict. I hope Paraguayans will use this tragedy to find ways to strengthen and prevent further threats to their democracy.”

Impacts

• The Center’s commitment to democracy and human rights in Paraguay helped calm the political dynamics and inspire leaders and activists to remain on the democratic path.

This project ended in 1999.

How It Began

Although Latin America spends relatively less on defense than most regions, expenditures on expensive weapons systems divert scarce foreign exchange from more effective investments, including education. They also compel neighbors to spend more on defense, exacerbating international tensions.

Our Work and Methods

• Concerned about an arms race in Latin America, the Carter Center’s Council of Presidents and Prime Ministers of the Americas urged governments in the region to pause before embarking on major arms purchases.

Impacts

• Between April 1997 and March 1998, 28 current and 14 former heads of government – including Paraguay President Juan Carlos Wasmosy – pledged to accept a two-year moratorium on purchasing sophisticated weapons.

This project ended in 1998.