Paraguay: the “cartismo” as a challenge to the political system stability

Abstract

The April 30, 2023 Paraguay held the General elections, their result revealed a new configuration of political forces in the country. Following the electoral cycle results, the ruling Colorado party strengthened its positions, and the traditional opposition lost votes to populist politicians. However, the confident win of the Colorado party increases the level of intra-party confrontation. The sanctions imposed by the US against the former President O. Cartes reflected decrease of anti-corruption struggle intensity and the deterioration of state institutions functioning in the country. The President Santiago Peña’s tasks include the economic growth accelerating. Maintaining a foreign policy course conditioned by the ideological preferences of the previous era may face the increasing pressure from the agrarian lobby interested in developing relations with China.