2013 Paraguayan general election

{{Short description|none}} {{Infobox election | country = Paraguay | flag_year = 1990 | type = presidential | election_date = 21 April 2013 | previous_election = 2008 Paraguayan general election | previous_year = 2008 | next_election = 2018 Paraguayan general election | next_year = 2018

| module = {{Infobox election | embed = yes | election_name = Presidential election | type = presidential | image_size = 130x130px | turnout = 68.52% ({{increase}} 3.04pp)

| module = {{Infobox legislative election | embed = yes | election_name = Chamber of Deputies | seats_for_election = All 80 seats in the Chamber of Deputies | majority_seats = 41

| leader6 = Mario Ferreiro | colour6 = #808080 | party6 = {{nowrap|Avanza País}} | percentage6 = 3.78 | last_election6 = new | seats6 = 2

| module = {{Infobox legislative election | embed = yes | election_name = Senate | seats_for_election = All 45 seats in the Senate | majority_seats = 23 | noleader = yes

| party1 = Colorado Party (Paraguay) | percentage1 = 38.50 | last_election1 = 15 | seats1 = 19

| party10 = Authentic Radical Liberal Party | percentage10 = 26.17 | last_election10 = 14 | seats10 = 13

| party11 = Guasú Front | percentage11 = 10.60 | last_election11 = new | seats11 = 5

| party12 = Progressive Democratic Party (Paraguay) | percentage12 = 6.44 | last_election12 = 1 | seats12 = 3

| party14 = National Union of Ethical Citizens | percentage14 = 4.03 | last_election14 = 9 | seats14 = 2

| party15 = National Encounter Party | percentage15 = 3.49 | last_election15 = 0 | seats15 = 1 }}}}}}}}{{Politics of Paraguay}}

General elections were held in Paraguay on 21 April 2013.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.electionguide.org/elections/id/2273/|title=Election for Presidency of Paraguay|website=IFES Election Guide}}</ref> They resulted in a victory for the Colorado Party, which had ruled the country for 60 years before losing power in 2008. The presidential elections were won by the Colorado Party's Horacio Cartes, who defeated Efraín Alegre of the Paraguay Alegre alliance.<ref>[https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-22241667 Horacio Cartes wins Paraguay presidential election] BBC News, 22 April 2013</ref> The Colorado Party also won the most seats in the Senate and Chamber of Deputies.

==Background== thumb|Former President Lugo, impeached in June 2012 In the previous general elections in 2008 Fernando Lugo was elected President. However, he was controversially impeached and removed from office in a 48-hour period in June 2012, following an eviction at a farm that led to the death of six police and eleven farmers. Lugo was replaced by his vice-president Federico Franco. Following the impeachment, Paraguay was suspended from Mercosur and Unasur, who denounced the impeachment as a Congressional coup.<ref name=BBC>[https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-22236775 Paraguay holds key presidential election] BBC News, 21 April 2013</ref>

Franco was barred from running for a full term in 2013. The Constitution of Paraguay does not allow a president to run for reelection, even if he serves a partial term.

==Candidates== Eleven candidates contested the presidential election:<ref>[http://tsje.gov.py/candidatos.html Candidatures] 2013 General Elections</ref>{{Dead link|date=December 2025}} {| class=wikitable |- !Presidential candidate !Vice-presidential candidate !Party |- |Efraín Alegre||Rafael Filizzola||Paraguay Alegre{{ref label|reference_name_A|a|a}} |- |Ricardo Almada||Librada Martinez||White Party |- |Eduardo Arce||Gloria Bareiro||Workers' Party |- |Aníbal Carrillo||Rafael Aguayo||Guasú Front{{ref label|reference_name_B|b|b}} |- |Miguel Carrizosa||Arsenio Ocampos||Beloved Fatherland Party |- |Horacio Cartes||Juan Afara||Colorado Party |- |Roberto Ferreira||Luis Vallejos||Paraguayan Humanist Party |- |Mario Ferreiro||Cynthia Brizuela||Forward Country{{ref label|reference_name_C|c|c}} |- |Atanasio Galeano||Digno Valdez||Partido Patria Libre |- |{{Nowrap|Lino César Oviedo Sánchez}}||Luis Villamayor||{{Nowrap|National Union of Ethical Citizens}} |- |Lilian Soto||{{Nowrap|Maguiorina Balbuena}}||Kuña Pyrenda |}

Coalitions formed for the election included the:

{{note label|reference_name_C|c|c}} Forward Country (''Avanza País''), a centre-left alliance including, amongst others, the Revolutionary Febrerista Party and the Christian Democratic Party.

{{note label|reference_name_B|b|b}} Frente Guasú, a left-wing alliance including, amongst others, the Party for a Country of Solidarity and the Paraguayan Communist Party.

{{note label|reference_name_A|a|a}} Paraguay Alegre (lit. ''Happy Paraguay'', alluding to their candidate's name), a centrist alliance including, amongst others, the Authentic Radical Liberal Party, the Democratic Progressive Party and the National Encounter Party.

On the night of 2 February 2013, Lino Oviedo Silva, the candidate of the right-wing National Union of Ethical Citizens, died in a helicopter accident near Puerto Antequera, in the Chaco region. His death was confirmed the following day, when the national police rescue team found the three burnt corpses of Oviedo, the plane's pilot, and a bodyguard. His candidacy was taken over by his nephew Lino Oviedo Sánchez.<ref>[http://www.unace.org.py/index.php/78-unace/118-lino-sanchez-visita-luque Lino Oviedo Sanchez visita Luque] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130522065158/http://www.unace.org.py/index.php/78-unace/118-lino-sanchez-visita-luque |date=2013-05-22 }} Unace</ref>

==Campaign== ''Reporters without Borders'' said in April 2013 that "Paraguay continues to be a dangerous country for journalists, in part because of the links between politics and organized crime, which were widely criticized during the campaign." It noted that two television stations (the public TV Pública and private Canal 9 SNT) had refused to air a Frente Guasú campaign ad highlighting the role of candidates Cartes and Alegre in the impeachment of Fernando Lugo.<ref>[http://en.rsf.org/paraguay-campaign-marked-by-censorship-post-18-04-2013,44393.html Campaign marred by censorship, post-election reprisals feared] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160319120550/https://en.rsf.org/paraguay-campaign-marked-by-censorship-post-18-04-2013,44393.html |date=2016-03-19 }} Reporters without Borders, 18 April 2013</ref>

During the campaign Cartes made homophobic statements, comparing homosexuals to monkeys and saying he would shoot himself in the testicles if his son turned out to be gay.<ref>{{cite news|last=Romero|first=Simon|title=Candidate Disparages Gays in Paraguay, Stirring Dispute|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2013/04/17/world/americas/candidate-in-paraguay-stirs-controversy-with-remarks-on-gay-marriage.html?_r=2&|newspaper=The New York Times|date=April 16, 2013}}</ref>

==Opinion polls== {| class="wikitable sortable" style=text-align:center |- ! Agency/Source ! style="width:120px"|Date ! Horacio Cartes ! Efrain Alegre ! Mario Ferreiro ! Lino Oviedo Sánchez ! Aníbal Carrillo ! Miguel Carrizosa ! Lilian Soto ! Eduardo Arce ! None ! "Don't know"/No answer |- | [https://web.archive.org/web/20130605110150/http://www.nanduti.com.py/v1/noticias-mas.php?id=66507&cat=Politica Asisa] | 26 Feb 2013 | style="background:lightgrey;"| '''29.3%''' | 22.1% | 19.8% | 7.1% | 3.2% | 2.5% | 1.6% | - | - | 13.7% |- | [https://web.archive.org/web/20130605071946/http://www.nanduti.com.py/v1/include-audio.php?audios_id=99101&tipo=Politica Ati Snead] | 28 Feb 2013 | 36.7% | style="background:lightgrey;"| '''37.1%''' | 5.6% | ? | 2.8% | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? |- | [https://web.archive.org/web/20160304055902/http://www.abc.com.py/edicion-impresa/politica/se-anticipa-dura-disputa-por-presidencia-de-la-republica-550619.html%26tipo%3DPolitica First] | 15 Mar 2013 | style="background:lightgrey;"| '''37.3%''' | 30.3% | 9.5% | 3.1% | 1.9% | 3.2% | 0.7% | 0.4% | 0.4% | 13.2% |- | [http://www.ultimahora.com/notas/609693-El-sondeo-de-GEO-coloca-a-Cartes-con-leve---ventaja-sobre-Efrain---Alegre GEO] | 15 Mar 2013 | style="background:lightgrey;"| '''36.8%''' | 35.6% | 7.7% | 6.8% | 6.1% | 1.0% | 0.3% | - | 0.6% | 5.1% |- | [http://www.ultimahora.com/notas/609694--Encuesta-de-Grau-&-Asociados-da-a-Cartes-ventaja-de--13,5%20-sobre-Alegre Grau] | 21 Mar 2013 | style="background:lightgrey;"| '''42.7%''' | 29.2% | 9.6% | 6.2% | 2.7% | 0.5% | 0.2% | - | 1.1% | 7.8% |- | [https://web.archive.org/web/20160303223154/http://www.abc.com.py/edicion-impresa/politica/cartes-tiene-ventaja-pero-voto-oviedista-podria-generar-empate-557159.html?desktop=true First] | 4 Apr 2013 | style="background:lightgrey;"| '''37.6%''' | 31.7% | 10.9% | 7.1% | 1.9% | 3.0% | 0.2% | - | 0.3% | 7.3% |- | [http://www.hoy.com.py/politica/alegre-repuntara-solo-con-masiva-participacion-dice-taka Taka] | 5 Apr 2013 | style="background:lightgrey;"| '''41.7%''' | 27.5% | 12.1% | 3.1% | 2.9% | 5.7% | - | - | 1.2% | 5.9% |- | [http://www.hoy.com.py/politica/encuesta-de-ati-snead-da-ventaja-de-15-a-alegre Ati Snead] | 5 Apr 2013 | 36.4 | style="background:lightgrey;"| '''37.9%''' | 8.5% | 4.0% | 2.7% | 3.0% | - | - | - | 6.0% |- | [http://www.ultimahora.com/notas/613847-Cartes-aumenta-ventaja-sobre-Alegre-en-la-encuesta-de-Grau-&-Asociados Grau] | 11 Apr 2013 | style="background:lightgrey;"| '''45.3%''' | 31.2% | 8.6% | 2.5% | 2.9% | 0.9% | 0.1% | - | 2.2% | 6.4% |- | [http://www.ultimahora.com/notas/613851-El-estudio---de-GEO-coloca-a--Alegre-con-una-pequena-ventaja--de-1,9 GEO] | 11 Apr 2013 | 34.8% | style="background:lightgrey;"| '''36.7%''' | 9.9% | 1.6% | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | 8.9% |}

==Results== === President === {{Election results |cand1=Horacio Cartes|party1=Colorado Party|votes1=1104169 |cand2=Efraín Alegre|party2=Authentic Radical Liberal Party|votes2=889451 |cand3=Mario Ferreiro|party3=Avanza País|votes3=141716|color3=#808080 |cand4=Aníbal Carrillo|party4=Guasú Front|votes4=79573 |cand5=Miguel Carrizosa|party5=Beloved Fatherland Party|votes5=27026 |cand6=Lino César Oviedo Sánchez|party6=National Union of Ethical Citizens|votes6=19416 |cand7=Roberto Ferreira|party7=Paraguayan Humanist Party|votes7=4264 |cand8=Lilian Soto|party8=Kuña Pyrenda Movement|votes8=3925 |cand9=Eduardo Arce|party9=Workers' Party|votes9=3011 |cand10=Ricardo Almada|party10=National Christian Union|votes10=2767 |cand11=Atanasio Galeano|party11=Partido Patria Libre|votes11=2416 |invalid=131703 |electorate=3516275 |source=[http://tsje.gov.py/e2013/documentos/pdf/2013.pdf Justicia Electoral] }}

===Senate=== {{Election results |party1=Colorado Party|votes1=865206|seats1=19|sc1=+4 |party2=Authentic Radical Liberal Party|votes2=588054|seats2=13|sc2=–1 |party3=Guasú Front|votes3=238313|seats3=5|sc3=+4 |party4=Progressive Democratic Party|votes4=144691|seats4=3|sc4=+2 |party5=Avanza País|votes5=117056|seats5=2|sc5=+2|color5=#808080 |party6=National Union of Ethical Citizens|votes6=90640|seats6=2|sc6=–7 |party7=National Encounter Party|votes7=78460|seats7=1|sc7=+1 |party8=Beloved Fatherland Party|votes8=45168|seats8=0|sc8=–4 |party9=Youth Party – Young Force|votes9=28129|seats9=0|sc9=New |party10=Social Democrat Party|votes10=7768|seats10=0|sc10=New |party11=Independent Constitutionalist Movement|votes11=7509|seats11=0|sc11=New |party12=30 August Movement|votes12=7460|seats12=0|sc12=New |party13=Kuña Pyrenda|votes13=5416|seats13=0|sc13=New |party14=People in Action Movement|votes14=3673|seats14=0|sc14=New |party15=United Democratic Movement for Victory|votes15=3662|seats15=0|sc15=New |party16=Paraguayan Humanist Party|votes16=3484|seats16=0|sc16=0 |party17=Workers' Party|votes17=2840|seats17=0|sc17=0 |party18=Partido Patria Libre|votes18=2322|seats18=0|sc18=New |party19=Participative Independent Democratic Movement|votes19=2007|seats19=0|sc19=New |party20=National Christian Union|votes20=1961|seats20=0|sc20=0 |party21=Institutional Independent Movement|votes21=1917|seats21=0|sc21=New |party22=Green Party|votes22=1541|seats22=0|sc22=New |invalid=159889 |total_sc=0 |electorate=3516275 |source=[http://tsje.gov.py/e2013/resultados-elecciones-2013-senadores.html Supreme Electoral Justice Tribunal of Paraguay] }}

===Chamber of Deputies=== {{Election results |party1=Colorado Party|votes1=919625|seats1=44|sc1=+14 |party2=Authentic Radical Liberal Party|votes2=656301|seats2=27|sc2=0 |party3=National Union of Ethical Citizens|votes3=147534|seats3=2|sc3=–13 |party4=Guasú Front|votes4=122440|seats4=1|sc4=+1 |party5=National Encounter Party|votes5=108662|seats5=2|sc5=+2 |party6=Avanza País|votes6=84826|seats6=2|sc6=+2|color6=#808080 |party7=Beloved Fatherland Party|votes7=63662|seats7=1|sc7=–2 |party8=Progressive Democratic Party|votes8=30579|seats8=0|sc8=–1 |party9=Youth Party|votes9=28543|seats9=0|sc9=New |party10=Chaqueña Passion Alliance|votes10=15656|seats10=1|sc10=–|color10=#FEE000 |party11=Civic Awakening Movement|votes11=9661|seats11=0|sc11=New |party12=Kuña Pyrenda|votes12=8153|seats12=0|sc12=New |party13=30 August Movement|votes13=7080|seats13=0|sc13=New |party14=Social Democrat Party|votes14=7062|seats14=0|sc14=New |party15=Independent Constitutionalist Movement|votes15=5063|seats15=0|sc15=New |party16=Paraguayan Humanist Party|votes16=4225|seats16=0|sc16=0 |party17=People in Action Movement|votes17=3107|seats17=0|sc17=New |party18=United Democratic Movement for Victory|votes18=2702|seats18=0|sc18=New |party19=National Christian Union|votes19=2677|seats19=0|sc19=0 |party20=Citizens in Power Action Movement|votes20=2017|seats20=0|sc20=New |party21=Participative Independent Democratic Movement|votes21=1905|seats21=0|sc21=New |party22=Green Party|votes22=1826|seats22=0|sc22=New |party23=Concertacion todos por Concepcion|votes23=1822|seats23=0|sc23=New |party24=Partido Patria Libre|votes24=1625|seats24=0|sc24=New |party25=Alianza Alto Paraguay Alegre|votes25=1597|seats25=0|sc25=New |party26=Institutional Independent Movement|votes26=1575|seats26=0|sc26=New |party27=Workers' Party|votes27=1338|seats27=0|sc27=0 |party28=Movimiento Propuesta por la Soberania Nacional|votes28=783|seats28=0|sc28=New |party29=Moviemiento para el Pueblo Encarnacion|votes29=656|seats29=0|sc29=New |party30=Liberal Party|votes30=579|seats30=0|sc30=New |party31=Another Paraguay Movement|votes31=251|seats31=0|sc31=New |party32=Workers' Regional Movement|votes32=189|seats32=0|sc32=New |invalid=155905 |total_sc=0 |electorate=3516275 |source=[http://tsje.gov.py/e2013/resultados-elecciones-2013-diputados.html Supreme Electoral Justice Tribunal of Paraguay] }}

'''Source:''' [http://tsje.gov.py/e2013/documentos/pdf/2013.pdf Justicia Electoral]

== Reactions == The defeated candidate Alegre conceded to Cartes a short time after preliminary results were announced.<ref>{{Citation |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-22241667 |title=Horacio Cartes wins Paraguay presidential election |publisher=BBC News |date=22 April 2013}}</ref> Argentine president Cristina Fernández de Kirchner congratulated the Paraguayan people, describing the election as "exemplary" and announced her endorsement of a re-admission of the country to the Mercosur community.<ref>{{Citation |url=http://www.businessweek.com/news/2013-04-22/paraguay-elects-tobacco-executive-horacio-cartes-as-president |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130628210737/http://www.businessweek.com/news/2013-04-22/paraguay-elects-tobacco-executive-horacio-cartes-as-president |url-status=dead |archive-date=June 28, 2013 |first1=John |last1=Quigley |first2=Ben |last2=Bain |title=Paraguay Elects Tobacco Executive Horacio Cartes as President |newspaper=Bloomberg Businessweek |date=22 April 2013}}</ref> José Mujica, the president of Uruguay, congratulated Cartes as well and invited him to the Mercosur summit that is to take place in his country in June.<ref>{{Citation |url=http://en.mercopress.com/2013/04/22/cristina-fernandez-and-mujica-tell-cartes-mercosur-is-waiting-for-the-return-of-paraguay |title=Cristina Fernandez and Mujica tell Cartes, Mercosur 'is waiting for the return of Paraguay' |publisher=MercoPress |date=22 April 2013}}</ref> The European Union's high representative for foreign affairs, Catherine Ashton lauded the high turn-out, orderly and calm conduct of the election.<ref>{{Citation |url=http://www.universocanario.com/internacional/america/paraguay/309826 |title=Ashton felicita a Cartes e insta a impulsar los intercambios entre Paraguay y la UE |newspaper=Universo canario |date=22 April 2013 |access-date=22 April 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303215451/http://www.universocanario.com/internacional/america/paraguay/309826 |archive-date=3 March 2016 |url-status=dead |df=dmy-all }}</ref> Among the first felicitators was also Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro.<ref>{{Citation |url=http://www.abc.com.py/nacionales/maduro-felicita-a-cartes-por-la-victoria-563893.html |title=Maduro felicita a Cartes por la victoria |newspaper=ABC Color |date=22 April 2013}}</ref>

==References== {{reflist}}

General Paraguay Category:Parliamentary elections in Paraguay Category:Presidential elections in Paraguay Paraguay